Ivory Coast wrote a new chapter in Africa Cup of Nations history after becoming the first host nation to win the tournament despite losing two matches during the campaign.
The Elephants also broke Egypt’s long-standing record for the fewest wins by a champion at AFCON, lifting the trophy with four victories across the competition.
Ivory Coast’s title run included defeats to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea in the group stage, a rare path for a team that would eventually go on to win the tournament on home soil.
In the final, Ivory Coast beat Nigeria 2-1 to secure the continental crown, completing their remarkable turnaround after a shaky start.
That triumph also meant Ivory Coast surpassed Egypt’s previous benchmark. Egypt had won AFCON with only five victories on three occasions, in 1986, 1998 and 2010.
Ivory Coast’s success with four wins now stands as a new record, alongside the unprecedented feat of a host nation claiming the title after two losses in the same edition.
