Afcon 2023: Who are the winners and losers of the hotly contested finals?

The 2023 African Cup of Nations ended with hosts Ivory Coast lifting the trophy after perhaps the most exciting tournament in living memory.

A surprising success story at almost every step, Elephants offered more plot twists than any Hollywood thriller on its way to securing silverware.

There was also much to be said about the impact the final would have on the host nation, after unprecedented expenditure on preparations that went far beyond football.

BBC Sport Africa highlights some of the winners and losers from 30 days of unforgettable drama at the 34th edition of the continent's biggest event.

Sebastien Haller, who returned from testicular cancer 13 months ago, scored the decisive goals in the semi-finals and final to give the Ivorians their third continental title.

It was also a huge success for the interim coach, who is in his fourth game in charge as a senior manager.

“Given everything we've been through, we're miraculous survivors. We've managed to bounce back from many tough blows.”

The Ivorians parted ways with coach Jean-Louis Gasset after nearly being eliminated in the group stage, but needed a penalty shootout to beat defending champions Senegal in the last 16 and scored the winning goal in the 122nd minute in the quarter-finals. I decided.

It remains to be seen whether the 40-year-old will keep this job permanently, but before the final he had refused to talk about it.

“Honestly, we asked our representatives not to tell us what happens after the tournament,” Fay added.

Airports, roads, hospitals and hotels were built or renovated in five host cities: Abidjan, Bouake, Corrogo, San Pedro and Yamoussoukro, the country's capital ranked 138th out of 190 cities in the world.

The country's excitement was epitomized by the number of orange replica shirts found on the streets, and attendance for the match remained strong after a slow start.

President Alassane Ouattara also spoke after the match, perhaps reflecting the large amount of money spent on hosting the final, as transport links could be improved and tourism encouraged in the future. participated in the celebration.

Ivory Coast co-captain Serge Aurier said after the final: “Africa should be proud of what we showed.”

“We have made progress as a team, in the stadium, and in our living conditions.”

There were many upsets in the final, with Equatorial Guinea defeating the hosts and finishing ahead of Nigeria in Group A, while Cape Verde also held off notable opponents to top the group.

Of the bottom four teams in the group stage, Namibia and Angola advanced to the finals, with Mauritania winning for the first time in the final.

South Africa upset Morocco to advance to the final four. More to the point, this amazing result and performance was no fluke.

“The gap between big and small countries is narrowing,” said Herita Ilunga, a former Democratic Republic of the Congo defender who is part of the Confederation of African Football's technical research group.

“This proves the development of African football.”

In the 2023 finals, he set a record with an average of 2.29 goals per game and 119 goals. That number hasn't improved since 2012 (2.38 goals per game).

Cuff said more than two billion people watched the tournament live on television, making it the most-watched Nations Cup final in history, with the final being broadcast in 173 territories around the world.

The late goal was particularly distinctive, with Group B alone exceeding the number of goals scored after the 89th minute than the entire 2021 tournament.

South Africa's Ronwen Williams made four shot saves in the quarter-finals, showing that the goalkeeper is also in high performance mode.

Despite his team losing, the Nigeria captain was named the tournament's best player for his three goals in the final.

The 30-year-old scored high-pressure penalties in the group stages against Ivory Coast and in the semi-finals against South Africa, before scoring the opening goal against the Elephants in the final.

He rallied the Super Eagles' defense to four clean sheets and the centre-back became the first defender to score three goals in a single Nations Cup since Libya's Ali Al Beshari in 1982. Ta.

The Super Eagles looked set to take a 2-0 lead with Victor Osimhen's goal in the 85th minute, but South Africa were awarded a penalty instead for a foul in the build-up.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review was used judiciously and very effectively throughout the tournament.

Manager Chris Hughton was formally sacked after struggling to ease the pressure his team faced to record their country's first win since 1982.

A second successive winless season resulted in another mediocre Nations Cup result for the Black Stars. The only consolation came when West African rivals Nigeria lost in the final.

It was a big surprise that the North African team did not advance to the quarter-finals, as the previous three editions had North African finalists.

Morocco will host the 2025 Nations Cup, aiming to win their first title since their only victory in 1976.

The Egyptian captain, who finished runners-up in the 2017 and 2021 tournaments, expressed his desire to end his 14-year wait for a title for his country.

The Liverpool forward saved the Pharaohs a second-half draw in their opening game against Mozambique, but was sent off before half-time in the second group game against Ghana.

Before the North African was sent off for a penalty, there was a brief melodrama surrounding his hamstring injury situation, with an important update from his agent and murmurs of discontent between Egypt and the Reds.

Salah is yet to return to action as a Premier League title challenger and will be 33 by the time of the next Nations Cup final.

If Hughton was looking for consolation as he became the first manager to die in a Nations Cup, seven of the 23 fellow managers who started the final had left by the end of the tournament.

Algeria's Djamel Belmadi, Tunisia's Jalel Kadri and Egypt's Rui Vitoria also paid the price for their poor performance in the tournament.

Gambia coach Tom St. Fiyette resigned following his departure, while Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso decided not to renew the contracts of Basilo Cande and Hubert Verd, respectively.