Senegal wrote history last night by beating Salah's Egypt and emerging victorious in AFCON 2021 for the first time. Senegal defeated Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after they finished the decider goalless even at the end of extra time.
Sadio Mane scored the winning goal last night. He might have missed the spot in normal time but ended up netting the penalty. Both Senegal and Egypt were goalless at the end of extra time and scored everything during the penalty shoot-out. After the last 2 defeats, Senegal finally became the winner of AFCON 2021. On the other hand, Egypt failed to continue the record 8th continental win. Fans were expecting a different result and this win could also have been the first of the Liverpool star.
Mane was clearly the star of the night and seeing him changing his fate overnight and clinching the title for the team, Salah was in tears at the end. Salah also could not win the 2017 final to Cameroon.
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse told broadcaster beIN Sports, "It just shows that if you work hard, if you persevere, you will get what you want. I am very emotional because the people of Senegal have wanted this trophy for 60 years."
The man of the match, Abou Gabal said, "We are really disappointed but that's football, either you win or you lose."
7 big footballing nations which can miss the FIFA World Cup 2026
Even though the number of countries participating in the World Cup would increase, there is a chance that a few well-known footballing nations might miss the flight to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The FIFA World Cup 2026, which is set to be the biggest with a record 48 teams, is just one year away. After the huge success of FIFA World Cup 2022, where the world saw an outstanding final between winners Argentina and runners-up France, the next edition is gearing up to break more records.
But, even though the number of countries participating in the World Cup would increase, there is a chance that a few well-known footballing nations might miss the flight to the FIFA World Cup 2026, in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Today, we will talk about those countries which can miss the FIFA World Cup 2026.
7. Austria
Austria under Ralf Rangnick surprised everyone with their high pressing game, beating teams like the Netherlands and Poland in Euro 2024. However, their high-pressing game might not give them great results in the USA. Moreover, their Bundesliga talents are also above their peak age.
Austria have not started their FIFA World Cup Qualifiers campaign at the moment, and Bosnia-Herzegovina have already taken a 6-point lead in the Group H points table. So, it might be tough for them if they make any silly mistakes during the qualifiers.
Group H
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
BIH
2
2
0
0
2
6
2
ROU
2
1
0
1
3
3
3
CYP
2
1
0
1
1
3
4
AUT
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
SMR
2
0
0
2
-6
0
6. Croatia
Although Luka Modric and company surprised everyone with a runners-up finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and a third-place finish in 2022, the former Real Madrid great would be 40 during the World Cup. So, we can not expect Modric to take his team over the line alone.
Although they have a defender like Josko Gvardiol, the entire squad is getting aged, and they are already six points behind teams like the Czech Republic and Montenegro, even before starting their FIFA World Cup Qualifiers campaign.
So, they also have very little room for any mistakes.
Group L
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
CZE
2
2
0
0
5
6
2
MNE
2
2
0
0
3
6
3
CRO
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
FRO
2
0
0
2
-2
0
5
GIB
2
0
0
2
-6
0
5. Chile
Chile were once considered one of the toughest South American teams with Copa America victories in 2015 and 2016. But those times are gone now for them.
They still depend on veteran stars like Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez, who are at the fag end of their careers. With just two wins in 14 South American qualifiers and a paltry nine goals scored, Chile are currently bottom of the points table.
With Chile being five points adrift of a play-off spot, they might not make it to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Rank
Team
P
W
D
L
Pts
1
Argentina
14
10
1
3
31
2
Ecuador
14
7
5
2
23
3
Uruguay
14
5
6
3
21
4
Brazil
14
6
3
5
21
5
Paraguay
14
5
6
3
21
6
Colombia
14
5
5
4
20
7
Venezuela
14
3
6
5
15
8
Bolivia
14
4
2
8
14
9
Peru
14
2
4
8
10
10
Chile
14
2
4
8
10
4. Qatar
The 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts created history by losing all three group games, becoming the first host nation to do so. However, after back-to-back Asian Cup victories, they were well on track to qualify for the 2026 World Cup on merit.
But, after winning only three of the eight third-round Asian qualifiers matches, they are now behind Iran and Uzbekistan in the group.
Although there is a fourth round of safety for them, it is not guaranteed that they will qualify from there.
Group A
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
IRN
8
6
2
0
9
20
2
UZB
8
5
2
1
4
17
3
UAE
8
4
1
3
7
13
4
QAT
8
3
1
4
-5
10
5
KGZ
8
2
0
6
-6
6
6
PRK
8
0
2
6
-9
2
3. Senegal
Senegal, the African football giants, struggled a bit after the departure of coach Aliou Cisse. They had shown great determination during the FIFA World Cup 2022, but after Cisse's departure, they seem to be fading.
Their senior stars, Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, now play in the Saudi Pro League and are not at their prime as well. It will be up to their youngsters, like Pape Sarr and Nicolas Jackson, to take them home.
But they are now behind DR Congo by a point in qualifying. So, any mistake from them could sweep away the dreams of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Group B
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
COD
6
4
1
1
5
13
2
SEN
6
3
3
0
7
12
3
SDN
6
3
3
0
6
12
4
TOG
6
0
4
2
-3
4
5
SSD
6
0
3
3
-8
3
6
MTN
6
0
2
4
-7
2
2. Cameroon
Cameroon are Africa's most frequent World Cup participants and has always brought a great flair to the World Cups. But, despite having talents like Andre Onana and Bryan Mbeumo, they have dropped points against Libya, Angola, and Eswatini.
They are currently one point behind Cape Verde in the Group D points table of CAF qualifiers.
Group D
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
CPV
6
4
1
1
2
13
2
CMR
6
3
3
0
8
12
3
LBY
6
2
2
2
-1
8
4
ANG
6
1
4
1
0
7
5
MRI
6
1
2
3
-4
5
6
SWZ
6
0
2
4
-5
2
1. Nigeria
It would be a shame if a team with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Boniface as their attacking trio does not qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026. However, despite having a good side, they have underperformed and won only six matches, trailing South Africa by six points in Group C.
Who is leading the 2024-25 European Golden Boot race?
Kylian Mbappe is leading the race for the 2024-25 European Golden Boot. However, players like Viktor Gyökeres, Mohamed Salah and a few others are also in race.
The European leagues are up and running and we have already witnessed some great encounters between the top European teams. The hunt to win the European Golden Boot is also taking shape for the 2024-25 season.
Some big names from the Top five European leagues are already in full swing and they are scoring loads of goals to clinch the coveted annual award for the highest goalscorer in Europe. However, some young and talented players have enlisted themselves in the charts as well; even from outside of the top five European leagues.
Sportzpoint brings you all the details about the leading goalscorers in the top five European leagues, details of the UEFA League ranking, and the leading goalscorers competing for the 2024-25 European Golden Boot.
The European Golden Boot Race
Bayern forward Harry Kane won the 2023-24 Golden Boot. (Image Credit | SuperSport))
The Golden Boot is awarded by European Sports Media (ESM) which is a unified association of Football Magazine publications such as Marca, Kicker, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Frankfurter AZ, etc. They took over since 1996-97 season and started a new ranking system based on the position of the league for the respective players.
The UEFA coefficient ranking is considered a measure for weighting points, with the principle being to acknowledge players who score in leagues of higher quality according to rankings, which makes it tougher to find the back of the net.
The number of goals scored in the top five leagues of Europe are counted with a multiplier of two, while those from leagues ranked six to 21 receive a 1.5 multiplier, and goals from all other leagues are counted as one.
This is how the points system works.
⚽️🏆 Players with the Most European Golden Boot Wins:
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi: 6 🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo: 4 🇺🇾 Luis Suarez: 2 🇫🇷 Thierry Henry: 2 🇵🇱 Robert Lewandowski: 2
The Ultimate European Golden Boot Race (Among the top 10 European Leagues according to UEFA coefficient rankings)
Considering the players from the top 10 European leagues in this list, this is what the current race of chasing the 2024-25 European Golden Boot looks like:
Mohamed Salah signs Liverpool Contract Extension until 2027
After months of speculations and rumours, Mohamed Salah has signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool to stay at the Merseyside club until 2027.
Mohamed Salah's prolific career with Liverpool is set to continue, as the Egyptian superstar has formally signed a two-year contract extension with the Premier League leaders. The deal ends the extended period of speculation over his future at the club.
32-year-old Salah is one of three crucial players— Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk being the other two, whose contracts were to run out at the conclusion of this season.
Now, the Egyptian King is the first to agree to an extension, having already etched himself in the history books as one of the all-time greats at the club, with a staggering 243 goals in 394 appearances, leaving him third on Liverpool's all-time scoring charts.
Salah pens down Liverpool contract extension until 2027
(Image Credit | Liverpool FC)
Although Liverpool did not publicly disclose the details of the length of Salah's contract in their official release, manager Arne Slot confirmed at a recent press conference that it extends for two years.
Salah expressed his enthusiasm regarding the renewal and stated:
Of course I'm very excited. We have a great team now. Before also we had a great team. But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football.
Salah looked back on his experience in Liverpool, having said:
It's great, I had my best years here. I played eight years, hopefully it's going to be 10. Enjoying my life here, enjoying my football. I had the best years in my career.
A magnificent career at Liverpool
(Image Credit | Liverpool FC)
During his career in the Premier League, Salah has topped or shared the scoring league tables three times and has twice been awarded the league's player of the year. His incredible contributions have assisted Liverpool in securing seven top honors, including the 2020 Premier League title and the highly coveted Champions League title in 2019.
"I signed here because I believe we can win a lot of big trophies together" ✨
Head to LFCTV GO to watch Mo's brilliant interview in full 💻
With Salah at the forefront with a league-leading 27 goals this campaign, Liverpool has an impressive 11-point advantage in their quest to equal Manchester United's record of 20 English top-flight titles. In a heartfelt letter to the fans, Salah said:
I am very, very happy to be here. I signed here because I believe we can win many big trophies together.". Continue to support us and we will do our best, and hopefully in the future, we are going to win more trophies.
Manager Slot confirmed that he had known for a while of Salah's plans to stay at Liverpool and praised sporting director Richard Hughes for tying down the forward. He said:
Mo Salah is such a fantastic player that as a free agent he can go possibly to every club in the world, wherever he wants to. But he remained at our club.
Van Dijk, the Dutch center-back who has been at Liverpool since 2018, revealed that he is close to signing a new deal, saying, "There is progress, yeah.". Listen, these are internal talks, and we'll see."
Proper fitness and training are a must for every sportsperson today. Here are the top 6 male fittest players in the world including footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.
Proper fitness and training are a must for every sportsperson today. No matter which field of sports you are associated with, a nutrition-rich diet, exercising, and taking extreme care of physical health are an absolute mandate.
World-renowned athletes also inspire the younger generation to emphasize their physical health and lead a disciplined life. On this note, let's take a look at the top 6 male fittest players in the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time and a huge inspiration to billions. Apart from his football skills, the entire world knows Ronaldo for his chisled and well-featured physique.
The Portuguese captain had the physical capabilities of a 20-year-old when he joined Juventus in 2018.
He had 7% body fat and a muscle mass of 50%. He weighs around 79 kg. The pivotal reason behind these extreme physical abilities is his dedication to fitness and his physical health.
No wonder his performances advanced at this level throughout the past years.
Ronaldo focuses on his sleep and nutrition as he eats five times a day and sleeps 8 hours as well. The 39-year-old has an extreme fitness routine. He enjoys his cardio, pilates and strength exercises.
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is undoubtedly the athlete who revolutionized the concept of fitness in India. He is one of the fittest athletes in India at the moment. The former Indian test skipper influenced, and still influences his teammates, the younger generation, and his fans to follow the path of a proper fitness regime.
There has been a massive improvement in his performance since he started eating clean and followed a definite path of athleticism.
Kohli weighs around 74.5-75 kg and has been maintaining that weight for the last few years. He is one of the fastest runners in cricket and focuses on nutrition and strength training to stay fit.
Mohamed Salah
The current Liverpool winger did not look like this when he left England in 2015 to join Italian Club Fiorentina and then Roma. However, since then, Egyptian footballers have become some of the fittest players in the world.
He has a very low body fat percentage and maintains a disciplined life, making a lot of sacrifices to remain in shape.
Salah generally has mixed variants of food to have all kinds of nutrition and then focuses on his training to stay fit. He normally trains twice a day if he is skipping his football practice. "My nutritionist says that because I don't have any fat on my body, I can eat what I want. I also don't drink, so it's fine," Salah told CNN in 2020. Discover the world of football with https://1xbitpakistan.com/
LeBron James
The 6 feet 8 inches tall LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. The 113-kilo weight basketballer is undoubtedly the oldest NBA player currently.
James, throughout his career, has remained fit and lean. However, in 2014, he gained some weight but then lost many kilos with his diet and training. "I am very consistent with training my body, rehabbing my body, eating, having my body be very clean throughout this journey because I've always wanted to have a long career, or as long as I could be in this space," James told Tim Ferriss in an interview in 2018.
Moreover, he sleeps more than 8 hours a day and sometimes 9 or 10 to recover well.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most influential figures in modern football. The 42-year-old, even after calling it a day, follows a strict regime to remain in his fittest form. According to GQItalia, his food items are carefully weighed on a scale.
No matter how small a quantity the food is, everything needs to be measured to the exact gram. Also, junk food is a strict no for him. His workout routine, along with a strict diet, are the reasons behind his fitness and strength
Rich Froning
This list would remain incomplete without Rich Froning, the greatest CrossFit athlete of all time. He is the first and only athlete to clinch the title of "Fittest Man on Earth" 4 times consecutively from 2011. He is immensely powerful and can deadlift 545 pounds. Also, he can snatch 300 pounds, and do 75 chin-ups after deadlifting 545 pounds. His interest in strength and CrossFit games began during his fire department training days.
10 most successful African Players with most goals in the UEFA Champions League
Explore the top 10 African players with the most goals in UEFA Champions League history, featuring legends like Mohamed Salah, Didier Drogba, and Samuel Eto'o.
The UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of club football, boasting the best talent from around the globe. Over the years, African players have made a significant impact on Europe's elite competition, with many of them showcasing their skills but also finding the back of the net consistently.
From legendary strikers to dynamic wingers, this article highlights the top 10 African players with the most goals in Champions League history, celebrating their remarkable achievements on the grandest stage of European football.
10 most successful African Players with most goals in the UEFA Champions League:
Rank
Player
Country
Goals
1
Mohamed Salah
Egypt
50
2
Didier Drogba
Ivory Coast
44
3
Samuel Eto'o
Cameroon
30
4
Sadio Mane
Senegal
27
5
Riyad Mahrez
Algeria
20
6
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Gabon
17
7
Seydou Doumbia
Ivory Coast
15
8
Vincent Aboubakar
Cameroon
14
9
Rabah Madjer
Algeria
12
10
Sebastien Haller
Ivory Coast
12
10. Sebastian Haller| 12 Goals | Ivory Coast:
Image Credit: Talk Sports
While the Ivorian found the net just 10 times in 48 games for the Hammers, he experienced a career revival at Ajax, netting an impressive 32 times in 50 games. Sebastian Haller made his Champions League debut in the 2021-22 season, scoring in his first seven games in the competition, including four in his debut against Ruben Amorim’s Sporting. Haller scored just one more UEFA Champions League goal and was given just 10 minutes in the German side’s 2024 final defeat to Real Madrid.
9. Rabah Madjer | Algeria | 12 Goals:
Image Credit: Pinterest
Madjer is considered one of the best players in the history of Algerian football and shot to renown as a Porto player in the 1980s. He scored six goals on Porto’s first UEFA Champions League winning run, including the equalizer against Bayern Munich in the final at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion. Madjer retired in 1992 and twice managed his home country, having played in their first ever World Cup in 1982.
8. Vincent Aboubakar | 14 Goals | Cameroon:
Image Credit: GOAL
Aboubakar made his UEFA Champions League debut in 2014 with Porto, scoring a goal in a 6-0 thrashing of BATE Borisov. He came back with a goal in the return fixture at home to Shakhtar and scored his first knockout goal against Basel but was an unused substitute in both quarter-final legs against Bayern Munich, including the 6-1 defeat that sent Porto out.
In the next two seasons, one spent at Porto and the other at Besiktas, Aboubakar netted six times but failed to get out of the group stage. He scored his final Champions League goals in 2017 with a brace against Monaco but was injured for the last 16 tie against Liverpool, a 5-0 defeat at the Estádio do Dragao.
7. Seydou Doumbia | 15 Goals | Ivory Coast:
Image Credit: ESPN
Doumbia scored 15 UEFA Champions League goals in 31 games for three different clubs in his career. He moved to Basel in 2016, scoring just once in six games before ending his European run at Sporting in the 2017-18 season. He made his debut with CSKA Moscow, scoring five times in the 2011-12 season, but never hit that height again.
6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Gabon | 17 Goals:
Image Credit: Daily Sports Nigeria
Aubameyang primarily scored his goals with Dortmund, he managed just two for Chelsea, but Gabon’s all-time top scorer never made it past the UEFA Champions League quarter finals having twice exited at that stage in 2014 and 2017. Aubameyang is, however, the all-time top goal scorer in Europa League history, netting 34 times in 62 games.
5. Riyad Mahrez | Algeria | 20 Goals:
Image Credit: Manchester City News
Riyad Mahrez kicked things off with two goals in Leicester’s opening group match against Brugge before finding the net two more times ahead of the knockouts. He played every minute of Leicester’s knockout run but could only manage a single assist in that time.
In the 2020-21 season, Mahrez was a crucial player on Manchester City’s run, scoring in the quarters before three goals against PSG in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. However, he could not find the net as City lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the final. By the time of the 2023 win, Mahrez had fallen down the City pecking order and stayed on the bench for the whole of the 1-0 win against Inter.
4. Sadio Mane | Senegal | 27 Goals:
Image Credit: This is Anfield
The 2019 and 2022 African Player of the Year Mane was a talisman in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool rebuild. Joining in 2016, Mane along with Salah and Roberto Firmino combined to be a lethal front three with the Senegalese player scoring 10 goals in the 17-18 UEFA Champions League season, a figure only beaten by his team-mates and Cristiano Ronaldo. Moving to Bayern Munich in 2022, Mane struggled to replicate his Liverpool form but still scored three goals in the group stages before departing for Al-Nassr in 2023.
3. Samuel Eto'o | Cameroon | 30 Goals:
Image Credit: FC Barcelona
The four-time African player of the year winner, a figure only matched by Yaya Toure, scored most of his UEFA Champions League goals for Barcelona including six in their 2005-06 triumph and four in the 2008-09 win under Pep Guardiola. Moving to Inter in 2009, Eto’o became the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Champions Leagues at different clubs and played every game in the Jose Mourinho-masterminded run. Still considered by many to be the best African player of all-time, Samuel Eto’o was a deadly mix of pace and clinical finishing.
2. Didier Drogba | Ivory Coast | 44 Goals:
Image Credit: UEFA
With 10 goals in 10 finals, the Ivorian was the man for the big occasion, and he made his UEFA Champions League debut with Marseille in 2003, scoring five goals in six games. Getting his move to Chelsea the following season, Drogba hit the same number in the 2004-05 campaign but managed just one goal in seven appearances the next year.
He scored twice in the 2008 semi-final to set up a clash against rivals Manchester United, but a John Terry slip in a rain-soaked Moscow denied Chelsea their first UEFA Champions League title. But that success would come in 2012 with Drogba playing a starring role in the final.
1. Mohamed Salah | Egypt | 50 Goals:
Image Credit: Egyptian Streets
Considering he scored just three goals in his first 15 UEFA Champions League appearances, betting on Mohamed Salah to one day become the leading African goal-scorer would have seemed a waste of money back in 2016. Famously a second choice of Klopp – the German preferred Julian Brandt – Salah hit 10 goals in his first UEFA Champions League season at Anfield, propelling Liverpool to their first final since 2007 but an early injury caused by Sergio Ramos forced him to the sideline as Real Madrid won 3-1 in Kyiv.
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