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Soccer is viewed by many as a foremost sporting event in the world. The game of football has now revolved to skill development in many nations across the globe and has contributes in enriching and empowering individuals and organizations.
Besides, sports in general and football in particular have emerged as a single unifying factor, even in the moment of political, ethnic and social religious tensions and feuds.
Nations across the world have united behind this game.
Football has bridged racial divides and brought people of other nations into a single Union of brotherliness.

Pharaohs in familiar territory as brave Burkinabe bid farewell
(FIFA.com) 01 Feb 2017
Egypt's goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary celebrates with teammates
THE DAY REPLAYED – Egypt, the most successful team in the history of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, had not let in a single goal at Gabon 2017 before taking on surprise packages Burkina Faso in the last four. Despite eventually conceding in an intense, suspenseful encounter, the Pharaohs emerged victorious on penalties and advanced to yet another continental final.

FIFA.com reviews the first of two semi-finals on the agenda this week in Gabon.

The day’s result
Semi-final
Burkina Faso 1-1 Egypt (Egypt won 4-3 on penalties)

The analysis
Although they were faced with the daunting prospect of locking horns with a team that has been crowned African champions no fewer than seven times, Burkina Faso did not appear overawed by their task in Libreville, settling into a good rhythm early on against an Egyptian side that took time to make their presence felt in midfield, despite some sporadically inspiring play from Mahmoud Hassan.

The Burkinabe remained on top in the first half, however, laying siege to the Egyptian area via corners, free-kicks and incursions orchestrated by, in particular, Bertrand Traore, Aristide Bance and Prejuce Nakoulma, who appeared to be involved in all of his country’s positive moves.

Les Etalons continued to push in the second period, but they were often hampered by poor final balls. Egypt’s simple yet effective tactics thus far in the competition involved holding firm in defence and snatching a crucial goal, and this game appeared to be no different, as Mohamed Salah curled home the opener with aplomb on 67 minutes. But their opposition had not read the script, and Bance equalised six minutes later, controlling the ball on his chest and firing home an eye-catching volley to take the match into extra time.

During the additional 30 minutes, fans at the Stade de l'Amitie were treated to more of the same: the outsiders again tried to find a way through Egypt’s stingy defence, while Mohamed Salah came close to winning it for the former champions. Tiredness began to set in, and the 22 players resigned themselves to a penalty shoot-out. In the end, Egypt’s experience proved decisive from the spot as well, and they march on to the final.

The stat
24 – The age difference between Essam El Hadary and Herve Koffi. The veteran Egypt goalkeeper, 44, has already lifted the Cup of Nations four times during his career, while the 20-year-old Burkina Faso custodian was making his tournament debut at Gabon 2017.

*Palmarès des ballon d'or Africains*

1970 - Salif keita (Mali)
1971 - Ibrahim sanday(Ghana)
1972 - Cherif Souleymane (Guinée )
1973 - Tsimen Bwanga (Zaire)
1974 - Paul Moukila ( Congo)
1975 - Ahmed Faras (Maroc )
1976 - Roger milla ( Cameroun)
1977 - Dhiab Tarak (tunisie)
1978 - Karim Abdul razak ( Ghana)
1979 - Thomas N'Kono ( Cameroun)
1980 - Jean manga oguene ( Cameroun )
1981 - lakhdar belloumi ( Algérie)
1982 - Thomas N'kono (Cameroun)
1983 - Majmoud Al-Khatib( Égypte)
1984 - Théophile Abega ( Cameroun)
1985 - Mohamed Timouni ( Maroc)
1986 - Ezzaiki Baddou "zaki" (Maroc)
1987 - Rabah madjer ( Algérie)
1988 - Kalusha bwalya (Zambie)
1989 - George weah ( Liberia)
1990 - Roger milla (Cameroun)
1991 - Abedi Pélé (Ghana)
1992 - Abedi Pélé (Ghana)
1993 - Abedi Pélé (Ghana)
1994 - George weah (Libéria)
1995 - George Weah (Liberia )
1996 - Nwanko Kanu (Nigeria)
1997 - Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria)
1998 - Mustafa Hadji (Maroc)
1999 - Nwanko kanu (Nigeria)
2000 - Patrick M'Boma (Cameroun)
2001 - El hadj Diouf (Sénégal)
2002 - El hadj Diouf (Sénégal)
2003 - Samuel Eto'o (Cameroun)
2004 - Samuel Eto'o (Cameroun)
2005 - Samuel Eto'o (Cameroun )
2006 - Didier Drogba (Côte d'ivoire)
2007 - Frédéric Kanute (Mali)
2008 - Emanuel Adebayor (Togo)
2009 -Didier Drogba (Côte d'ivoire)
2010- Samuel Eto'o (Cameroun)
2011 - Yaya Touré (Côte d'ivoire)
2012 - Yaya Touré (Côte d'ivoire)
2013 - Yaya Touré (Côte d'ivoire)
2014 - Yaya Touré (Côte d'ivoire )
2015 - Aubameyang Pierre Emerick (Gabon)
2016 - ???????????

Only recently has the world woken up to the true potential football. The continent's star players have shone in top flight European domestic leagues for over a decade, but FIFA World Cup success has eluded the continent only Cameron (1990) and Senegal (2002) have reached the quarter-finals.

DEFENSIVE WALTER
Italy's Walter Zenga holds the FIFA World Cup record for the most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. He managed 518 minutes at the 1990 tournament in his home country. Argentina's Claudio Caniggia finally put the ball past him in the semi-final. Zenga's five successive clean sheet at the tournament is also a FIFA World Cup record. Fellow Italian Gianluigi Buffon conceded only two on the way to winning the tournament tournament in 2006-an own goal by team-mate Cristian Zaccardo and a penalty by France's Zinedine Zidane.

FIFA GOALKEEPING PLAYERS VOTED BEST GOALKEEPER OF THE TOURNAMENT.

1930 Enrique Ballestreros ( Uruguay )
1934 Ricardo Zamora ( Spain )
1938 Frantiek Planika ( Czechoslovakia)
1950 Roque Maspoli (Uruguay)
1954 Gyula Grosics ( Hungary)
1958 Harry Gregg (Northern Ireland)
1962 Viliam Schrojf ( Czechoslovakia)
1966 Gordon Banks ( England )

The higher the Thought, the clearer The vision.