With a few weeks to the commencement of the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, GOAL looks at players who have played the most games in the competition’s history.

Rigobert Song (Cameroon)

Tournament appearances: Eight

Debut Afcon: South Africa 1996

Last Afcon: Angola 2010

Achievements: Two Afcon titles: Nigeria/Ghana 2000 & Mali 2002

Career span: 16 years, 275 days

Ahmed Hassan (Egypt)

Tournament appearances: Eight

Debut Afcon: South Africa 1996

Last Afcon: Angola 2010

Achievements

Four Afcon titles: Burkina Faso 1998, Egypt 2006, Ghana 2008, Angola 2010

Africa Cup of Nations Best Player: 2006, 2010

Africa Cup of Nations Dream Team: 2006, 2010

Career span – 16 years, 145 days

Geremi Njitap (Cameroon)

Tournament appearances: Seven

Debut Afcon: Burkina Faso 1998

Last Afcon: Angola 2010

Achievements
Two Afcon titles: Nigeria/Ghana 2000, Mali 2002

Africa Cup of Nations: Team of All Tournaments

Career span: 13 years, 261 days

Boubacar Barry (Cote d’Ivoire)

Tournament appearances: Seven

Debut Afcon: Mali 2002

Last Afcon: Equatorial Guinea 2015

Achievements: One Afcon title (Equatorial Guinea 2015)

Career Span: 16 years

Siaka Tiene (Cote d’Ivoire)

Tournament appearances: Seven

Debut Afcon: Mali 2002

Last Afcon: Equatorial Guinea 2015


Achievements: One Afcon title (Equatorial Guinea 2015)

Career Span: 13 years

Kolo Toure (Cote d’Ivoire)

Tournament appearances: Seven

Debut Afcon: Mali 2002

Last Afcon: Equatorial Guinea 2015

Achievements: One Afcon title (Equatorial Guinea 2015)

Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2015

Career Span: 14 years, 221 days

Essam El Hadary (Egypt)

Tournament appearances: Seven

Debut Afcon: Burkina Faso 1998

Last Afcon: Gabon 2017

Achievements: Four Afcon titles: Burkina Faso 1998, Egypt 2006, Ghana 2008, Angola 2010

​Career span: 22 years, 92 days

Hossam Hassan (Egypt)

Tournament appearances: Seven
Debut Afcon: Egypt 1986

Last Afcon: Egypt 2006

Achievements
Three Afcon titles: Egypt 1986, Burkina Faso 1998, Egypt 2006
Afcon topscorer in 1998 

Career span: 20 years, 150 days

Asamoah Gyan (Ghana)

Tournament appearances: Seven
Debut Afcon: Ghana 2008

Last Afcon: Egypt 2019

Achievements: Runner-up: Angola 2010, Equatorial Guinea 2015
Career span:15 years, 234 days

Seidou Keita (Mali)

Tournament appearances: Seven
Debut Afcon: Mali 2002

Last Afcon: Equatorial Guinea 2015

Career span: 16 years, 116 days

Rabah Madjer (Algeria)

Tournament appearances: Six

Debut Afcon: Nigeria 1980

Last Afcon: Senegal 1992 

Achievement: One Afcon title: Algeria 1990

Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 1982, 1990

Career span – 13 years, 116 days

Mahieddine Meftah (Algeria)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Algeria 1990

Last Afcon: Mali 2002

Achievement

One Afcon title: Algeria 1990

Career span – 17 years.

Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Nigeria/Ghana 2000

Last Afcon: Angola 2010

Achievements

Two Afcon titles: Nigeria/Ghana 2000, Mali 2002

African Cup of Nations all-time top goalscorer

African Cup of Nations top goalscorer: 2006, 2008

Career span – 17 years, 96 days

Salomon Kalou (Cote d’Ivoire)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Ghana 2008

Last Afcon: Gabon 2017

Achievement: One Afcon title: Africa Cup of Nations: 2015

Career span: 17 years.

Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Egypt 2006

Last Afcon: Equatorial Guinea 2017

Achievement: One Afcon title: Africa Cup of Nations: 2015
Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2015
Career span: 10 years, 335 days

Didier Zokora (Cote d’Ivoire)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Mali 2002

Last Afcon: South Africa 2013
Career span: 14 years, 57 days

Abdel-Zaher El-Saqqa (Egypt)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Burkina Faso 1998

Last Afcon: Angola 2010

Achievement: Three Afcon titles: Burkina Faso 1998, Egypt 2006, Ghana 2010
Career span: 12 years, 226 days

Hany Ramzy (Egypt)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Senegal 1992

Last Afcon: Mali 2002

Career span: Career span – 14 years, 88 days

Andre Ayew (Ghana)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Ghana 2008

Last Afcon: Egypt 2019

Career span: Active

Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)

Tournament appearances: Six
Debut Afcon: Nigeria /Ghana 2000

Last Afcon: Angola 2010

Achievement: Runner-up: Nigeria/Ghana 2000

Career span: 19 years