Some have left an indelible mark on the illustrious history of the African tournament, but only two have etched their names in the annals of the competition, achieving a record that sets them apart.
These two remarkable individuals are Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary and Nigeria’s Stephen Keshi.
Mahmoud El-Gohary
The late Mahmoud El-Gohary stands among the most prominent coaches in Egyptian football history.
He holds the distinction of being the first to win the Africa Cup of Nations both as a player in 1959 and later as a coach in 1998.
El-Gohary kicked off the second edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1959 at Cairo International Stadium, scoring a hat-trick in Egypt’s 4-0 victory over Ethiopia.
This marked the initial step toward securing the consecutive title, which was achieved by defeating Sudan 2-1.
El-Gohary secured the top scorer title with three goals.
After 39 years, El-Gohary returned to the limelight, this time as the coach of the Egyptian national team.
In 1998, he led them to clinch the fourth African title in Burkina Faso, overcoming South Africa 2-0 in the final.
Stephen Keshi
Nigeria’s Stephen Keshi accomplished the feat of winning the Africa Cup of Nations both as a player and a coach.
He achieved the title with the Super Eagles as a player in 1994, captaining the golden generation of Nigeria in that tournament.
Later, he excelled as the coach of the national team in the 2013 edition.
In 2013, Keshi joined El-Gohary as the second individual to win the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and a coach.
He guided the Eagles to their third title in South Africa, defeating Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final.
Nigeria had previously won the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia in 1994 when Keshi was a defender for Strasbourg in France.
Despite missing the final due to injury, his contribution was instrumental in Nigeria’s qualification for the final, where they triumphed over Zambia 2-1.
These two football luminaries, El-Gohary and Keshi, have forever etched their names in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving an enduring legacy as both players and coaches.
