The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations currently ongoing in Cote d’Ivoire has thrown up some interesting continental styles and fashion as some of the teams arrived at the venue of the competition in different attires to showcase the culture of their countries. Going through the pictures and video released by some of these countries, Saturday Telegraph’s CHARLES OGUNDIYA presents some of the attires…
Nigeria
The Super Eagles of Nigeria landed in Abidjan wearing the popular caftan showcasing the Green-White-Green colours of the country’s national flag with matching cap and half shoes to match. It was a colourful scene at the airport from Nigeria to Abidjan, the centre where Nigeria is based along with Equatorial Guinea, the host, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea Bissau.
Ghana
There was initial backlash for the Black Stars contingent while departing Ghana for Cote d’Ivoire when the players were seen wearing white shorts and round neck too, but everything changed when the team landed at the venue of the competition as they were seen in Ghana’s traditional wear, the Kente attire, embracing their heritage. Kente, known for its vibrant and symbolic fabric, represents more than just style; it is a proud display of Ghanaian culture.
Cameroon
Cameroon , with their indomitable spirit, often carries this into their fashion choices. While specific details about their attires for this tournament are not available, the team traditionally incorporates green, red, and yellow – the colors of their national flag – into their clothing, often in unique and eye-catching designs.
Mali
It was as if all the teams decided to turn the tournament to a fashion show as Team Mali also turned out in lovely attires depicting their culture with a black shirt and trousers also with a black cap. They however mixed it with a local flowing gown that shows where they are from.
DR Congo
Another country with another cultural design while arriving Cote d’Ivoire is DR Congo, wearing their ‘Chitenge’ outfit with white trainers to complement.
The Gambia
It almost turned out to be a disaster for The Gambia after an incident oc- curred during their flight to AFCON – several of them fainted due to a lack of oxygen on the plane. However, that did not take anything away from their outfit while heading to Cote d’Ivoire as was seen in the plane before it returned to Gambia with the entire delegation on board. A white caftan designed with the colours of their country’s flag making unique.
*Other countries like Morocco, Zambia and the rest arrived in track suits, house wears Senegal Senegal, another strong contender in African football, often showcases their cultural identity through their clothing.
The team usually favours a mix of traditional and modern styles, reflecting the vibrant culture of Senegal. These teams have not only come to compete in one of the most prestigious football tournaments on the continent but also to showcase their rich cultural heritage through their fashion choices. showing the colours of their countries, but in all, AFCON 2023 showed a lot of colourful outfits compared to recent years.
