It has been a trying start to 2026 for Manchester United, who, after three straight stalemates, have sacked Ruben Amorim as their manager. The English side has won just one of its last six and currently sits seventh in the Premier League, and when their African stars return from the Africa Cup of Nations, they […]
It has been a trying start to 2026 for Manchester United, who, after three straight stalemates, have sacked Ruben Amorim as their manager. The English side has won just one of its last six and currently sits seventh in the Premier League, and when their African stars return from the Africa Cup of Nations, they will come across yet another new manager. Today, we’re taking a look at how United’s African players fared at AFCON.
Amad Diallo
Amad Diallo is a player in red-hot form. After opening the scoring in their 4-4 draw vs. Bournemouth, Diallo headed to Morocco, where he furthered his sensational performances. Having failed to make the trip for the last AFCON, Diallo was able to score in his second straight competitive fixture for the Ivory Coast, leading them to a 1-0 win against Mozambique. Similarly to the likes of Rui Duarte and Bruno Fernandes, Diallo combined his impressive footwork and fantastic crossing ability with his cold-blooded finishing, and this was on display in the second match when he froze up his man and delightfully smashed into the corner with his left foot in a 1-1 draw vs. Cameroon. After dropping to the bench vs. Gabon, Diallo returned to action and broke the deadlock vs. Burkina Faso before assisting Yan Diomande’s goal in a 3-0 victory. Unfortunately, he was unable to impose himself in the quarterfinal, with Egypt prevailing 3-2 and sending the defending champions packing.
Bryan Mbuemo
It didn’t take long for Bryan Mbuemo to make his presence known at this season’s AFCON, with Mbuemo doing remarkably well to control a bouncing ball with his left foot, drawing in multiple opponents, before sliding in a through ball to Etta Eyong. The Villarreal forward held his run and squeezed the ball between the feet of Gabon goalkeeper Loyce Mbamba, giving Cameroon the lead after six minutes. Little did he know it, but that would be the final goal contribution of his tournament; Mbuemo was kept under wraps vs. the Ivory Coast before playing a backseat role in their comeback victory against Mozambique. He was ineffective in their 2-1 win against South Africa, losing possession 12 times and registering just one shot. It was more of the same in their quarterfinal vs. Morocco, with Mbuemo trying to lead the Indomitable Lions to victory but ultimately producing very little in their 2-0 loss to the hosts.
Noussair Mazraoui
Whilst Diallo and Mbuemo are on their way back to Old Trafford, Noussair Mazraoui is still plying his trade in the Maghreb. After assisting Brahim Diaz’s opener in a 2-0 win vs. Comoros, Mazraoui kept things in their 1-1 draw vs. Mali, before shifting from right back to left back and delivering yet another composed display against Zambia. Similarly to other modern fullbacks like Neto Borges and Federico Dimarco, Mazraoui is given the license to roam and insert himself into the half-spaces, but he’s also aware of his defensive duties and makes sure to get back and keep his defense protected. This has proven apparent throughout the tournament, with Mazraoui excelling on the left in their 1-0 win vs. Tanzania, before delivering a remarkable performance vs. Cameroon that saw him win 7 out of 11 ground duels and win 3/3 tackles. He’ll be looking to lead Morocco past defending finalists Nigeria and secure their spot in the final, where they would take on either Senegal or Egypt.
Category: General Sports
