AFCON trophy reportedly stolen in Egypt
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy has reportedly been stolen from the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo.
The country’s FA announced the loss of the trophy in a statement on Friday, September 4, 2020.
The EFA confirmed to Goal that the trophy the Pharaohs won in 2006, 2008 and 2010 is missing from its headquarters.
Ahmed Shobeir, the former Vice President of the Egyptian Football Association had earlier revealed that the trophy was discovered missing during preparations to build a museum to house all of the silverware won by the country.
The statement confirming the loss of the trophy reads in part, “As the Egyptian Football Association plans to develop its headquarters, including converting the entrance into a small museum for Egyptian football, the federation’s management was surprised that there were a number of lost trophies in the federation’s storeroom.
“These trophies were supposed to be used in the development process. An investigation is underway to verify whether these old trophies survived the fire and looting of the EFA’s headquarters in 2013 when they were attacked by Ultras groups, or if they were among the losses that resulted from the damage inflicted on the building in this incident.
Meanwhile, Magdi Abdelghani, the Pharaohs’ ex-midfielder had in a press conference said the trophy was lost in a fire incident seven years ago.
He said, “After the burning of the Football Association headquarters, some cups were lost, and the matter was investigated, including the Africa Cup of Nations that we retained,” said the former FA member during a press conference.
“Some said that the cup had been with Shawky Gharib, the former general coach of the Egypt national team, and some say it had been with Hassan, the former captain of the Pharaohs.
Egypt is the most successful country in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, as the Pharaohs have won the trophy seven times.
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