WAFCON Queens and Their Riveting Legacy
Before the curtains rise in Rabat, let us take a brief journey through history. While the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is above all a competition amongst the best national teams on the continent, since 2004 it has also been the scene of dazzling revelations and individual triumphs. Each edition has seen the emergence of a queen, a player above the rest, capable of turning a tournament around.
Perpetua Nkwocha, the First Empress
The turning point came in 2004. For the first time, the trophy for the Best Player of the Competition was awarded—and it was Perpetua Nkwocha who inaugurated it. With nine goals scored, she completely dominated the competition. But her story did not end there. The Nigerian striker also claimed the 2006 (seven goals) and 2010 (11 goals) editions, confirming her status as a living legend of the tournament.
Six-time African champion and four-time African Player of the Year, Nkwocha left an indelible mark on continental women's football.
2006-2012: The Dance of New Stars
Behind Nigeria's dominance, other nations began to show their talents. In 2006, Portia Modise from South Africa received the trophy for Best Player of the Competition.
Two years later, Genoveva Añonma exploded onto the scene: the Equatorial Guinean scored six goals in 2008 and won this coveted title. She did it again in 2012.
Meanwhile, in 2010, Stella Mbachu, another Super Falcons star, was honoured for her exploits at the continental stage.
Oshoala, the Heiress
Asisat Oshoala is the story of a perfectly executed passing of the torch. In 2014, she succeeded Nkwocha in the hearts of Nigerian fans. Voted WAFCON Player of the Year that year, she became the new face of Nigeria. In 2016, she scored six goals and added another WAFCON to her list of achievements. But it was alongside her decorated career at club level in Europe at the time in La Liga with FC Barcelona, that made her a superstar. A six-time African champion and six-time African Player of the Year, Oshoala is no longer just a continental star—she is a global icon.
Cameroon roars, South Africa sparkles
In 2016, it was Cameroon's turn to see one of the Indomitable Lionesses shine. Gabrielle Aboudi Onguéné, radiant with zeal and technical accuracy, led her team to the final and left with the title of Best Player of the Tournament.
But in 2018, the spotlight returned to South Africa. Thembi Kgatlana, a fiery attacker, caused a sensation: Best Player, Best Scorer, and then African Player of the Year at the CAF Awards. A dream year for the woman who embodies a liberated, ambitious, and uninhibited generation.
Chebbak, the Moroccan Star
In 2022, on home soil, Morocco put up a rise scripted in greatness by reaching the final. Supported by the crowd and a cohesive team, Ghizlane Chebbak lit up the competition. Scorer, passer, leader: she was everywhere. The tournament's MVP, she symbolized the blossoming of a thriving Moroccan football scene, already qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 and determined to no longer play second fiddle.
The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Women's Player of the Year since 2004:
● 2004: Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)
● 2006: Portia Modise (South Africa)
● 2008: Genoveva Añonma (Equatorial Guinea)
● 2010: Stella Mbachu (Nigeria)
● 2012: Genoveva Añonma (Equatorial Guinea)
● 2014: Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
● 2016: Gabrielle Aboudi Onguéné (Cameroon)
● 2018: Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa)
● 2022: Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco)