The Panenka’s Paradox
A slightly different version of this article was first published by Olongo Africa. At the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium during the 2026 AFCON final, Morocco’s Brahim Díaz attempted something almost unheard of in the 68-year history of the Africa Cup of Nations: a Panenka penalty. Rather than diving early as the technique’s logic dictates, Senegal’s…
2025 AFCON: Football as Signifier
You may read my reflections on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations here. The first essay, “The Intimate Moments of Football Solidarity”, captures the intimacies we encounter on the pitch. My argument is that, beyond the politics and nationalism football often stages, the African Cup of Nations’ most powerful moments show the bonds between those…
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James Yékú 