While European football takes its customary Boxing Day pause, Africa's biggest tournament continues to expose uncomfortable truths about global football's talent distribution. Four matches on December 26 feature players who should be household names worldwide—but aren't, because the sport's media ecosystem remains stubbornly Eurocentric.
Let's break down what's actually happening in Morocco today.
The match everyone's watching: Egypt vs South Africa
4:00 PM GMT, Grande Stade d'Agadir
Mohamed Salah against South Africa. The narrative writes itself—except the narrative is wrong.
The mainstream take: Salah's Egypt should dominate. Seven-time champions, Liverpool's golden boy, continental royalty. South Africa are plucky underdogs hoping for an upset.
The reality: South Africa have beaten Egypt in six straight meetings. Six. Including a 2019 AFCON knockout round elimination that haunts Egyptian football to this day. Bafana Bafana aren't underdogs—they're the form team in this rivalry.
Egypt's opener against Zimbabwe exposed something their supporters don't want to discuss: this team is over-reliant on individual brilliance. They had 77.5% possession against Zimbabwe, generated 35 shots, and needed a 90th-minute Salah rescue to avoid embarrassment. That's not dominance. That's desperation dressed up as control.
South Africa play smarter football. Hugo Broos has built a team that actually functions as a unit—quick transitions, disciplined defensive shape, clinical finishing. Lyle Foster's winner against Angola wasn't luck; it was the product of a system designed to create exactly those opportunities.
My take: South Africa get at least a draw here. Maybe more. Egypt's inability to break down organized defenses remains their fatal flaw, and Broos knows exactly how to exploit it.
The forgotten final: Angola vs Zimbabwe
1:30 PM GMT, Grand Stade de Marrakech
Nobody in Europe cares about this game. They should.
Angola have been building something interesting under Pedro Gonçalves. Their performance against South Africa showed a team with genuine attacking quality—Gelson Dala is one of the most underrated strikers on the continent, a player who would thrive in the Premier League if scouts actually watched African football consistently.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, ran Egypt ragged with a counter-attacking masterclass. Prince Dube's goal came from a team that knows exactly what it is and plays to those strengths. No delusions of possession football. Just ruthless efficiency.
Both teams lost their openers, so this is effectively an elimination game. The loser is almost certainly going home.
My take: This will be the most entertaining match of the day. Two teams with nothing to lose, playing attacking football because they have to. Angola's quality should tell eventually, but Zimbabwe's pace on the break will create chaos. 2-1 Angola, but don't be shocked if it's the other way around.
The 13-year curse: Zambia vs Comoros
1:30 PM GMT, Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca
Here's a stat that should make you uncomfortable: Zambia, the 2012 AFCON champions, haven't won a single tournament match since lifting the trophy. Thirteen years. Ten games. Zero victories.
Think about that. A team that won Africa's greatest prize has spent over a decade failing to win even once in the competition. This isn't bad luck—it's systemic failure. The Zambian FA's inability to build on that 2012 miracle tells you everything about football development on the continent: one brilliant generation can achieve anything, but sustainable success requires infrastructure that simply doesn't exist.
Patson Daka's last-gasp header against Mali kept hope alive, but Zambia were outplayed for 89 minutes. They're relying on individual moments from European-based players rather than functioning as a collective.
Comoros, the 2021 fairy tale, have regressed to reality. Their 2-0 loss to Morocco showed a team that's hit its ceiling—organized enough to compete, not good enough to threaten.
My take: Zambia finally break the curse here. Comoros don't have the quality to punish them, and Daka's presence gives the Chipolopolo a guaranteed goal threat. 2-0 Zambia—and watch the celebrations when that final whistle blows.
The coronation: Morocco vs Mali
9:00 PM GMT, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat
Morocco are going to win this tournament. Let's just acknowledge it now.
The Atlas Lions haven't lost a competitive home match since 2009. Sixteen years of fortress football. They're unbeaten in 18 matches overall. They have Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, Brahim Diaz, and Hakim Ziyech rotating through their midfield and attack. They completed 582 passes against Comoros with 90% accuracy.
Mali haven't scored against Morocco in three consecutive meetings. They haven't beaten them in four. Their only AFCON encounter ended 4-0 to the Atlas Lions in 2004.
This isn't a contest. It's a formality.
What makes it interesting is watching how Morocco win. Regragui's tactical flexibility is underrated—he adjusts formations mid-game better than most elite European managers. Against Comoros, the second-half switch to a more aggressive pressing system completely changed the match.
My take: Morocco 3-0 or worse for Mali. The only question is whether Ayoub El Kaabi can top his ridiculous overhead kick from the opener. 68,000 Moroccan fans will create an atmosphere Mali's young squad simply can't handle.
The bigger picture
AFCON remains the most underrated major tournament in world football. The quality is there—Salah, Omar Marmoush, Foster, Daka, Hakimi are all players who dominate in Europe's top leagues. The tactical sophistication is there—watch how South Africa defend compared to half the teams in Serie A.
What's missing is attention. Coverage. Investment.
European clubs complain about the tournament's timing while hoarding African talent and contributing nothing to the continent's football infrastructure. The hypocrisy is exhausting.
Today, watch these matches. Not because you have to—because they're genuinely excellent football featuring world-class players in high-stakes competition. That's all any tournament needs to be.
Boxing Day fixtures at a glance
- 1:30 PM GMT — Angola vs Zimbabwe (Marrakech) — Elimination game, expect drama
- 1:30 PM GMT — Zambia vs Comoros (Casablanca) — Curse-breaking opportunity
- 4:00 PM GMT — Egypt vs South Africa (Agadir) — The rivalry Europe ignores
- 9:00 PM GMT — Morocco vs Mali (Rabat) — The coronation continues
Set your alarms. This matters more than you've been told.