Top ten countries by medals won in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

The United States of America dominated the 2020 Olympic Games, winning a total of 113 medals followed by China with 88. No African country is in the top ten by the number of medals won.

Source:

Olympics

Period:

2020
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Nigeria beats Egypt to win AFCON bronze medal, extending its record to nine third-place finishes
  • Nigeria extends its AFCON bronze medal wins to nine, the highest in men’s AFCON history, with another podium finish.
  • The win over Egypt highlights Nigeria’s resilience, turning late-stage setbacks into tangible success.
  • Bronze medals remain rare for most nations, with the majority appearing only once or twice in AFCON history.

Morocco is Africa's top soccer team, ranked 11th globally with 1716.34 points
  • Morocco’s male football team ranks 1st in Africa and 11th globally with 1713.12 points.
  • Senegal ranks 2nd and 19th in the world, confirming its strong international presence.
  • Egypt, Algeria, and Nigeria complete Africa’s top five, all within the global top 40.
  • The top 20 list includes teams from all major African regions.
  • Africa has 2 teams in the global top 20, 7 in the top 50, and 13 in the top 70.

Nigeria has lost only one of its 12 quarter-final matches in AFCON history
  • Nigeria has won 11 of its 12 AFCON quarter-final matches, losing only once (2008).
  • The only quarter-final defeat came against Ghana, highlighting the intensity of historic rivalries.
  • Most Nigerian wins were by narrow margins.
  • Nigeria has beaten a wide range of opponents at this stage, including Algeria, Senegal, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa.
  • Penalty shootouts feature twice, reflecting composure under extreme pressure.
  • Nigeria’s quarter-final success spans over 30 years, cutting across different generations of players.

Morocco is Africa's top soccer team, ranked 11th globally with 1716.34 points
  • Morocco’s male football team ranks 1st in Africa and 11th globally with 1713.12 points.
  • Senegal ranks 2nd and 19th in the world, confirming its strong international presence.
  • Egypt, Algeria, and Nigeria complete Africa’s top five, all within the global top 40.
  • The top 20 list includes teams from all major African regions.
  • Africa has 2 teams in the global top 20, 7 in the top 50, and 13 in the top 70.

Only 14 African countries have ever qualified for the FIFA World Cup, with the best performance by Morocco (4th place)
  • Cameroon has the highest World Cup appearances (8).
  • Morocco holds Africa’s best-ever performance (4th place), a historic milestone for African football.
  • Tunisia and Morocco both have seven appearances.
  • Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most successful qualifiers (six appearances), with multiple second-round finishes.
  • Algeria and Ghana (five appearances each) show strong track records, with Ghana also reaching the quarterfinals.
  • Egypt, South Africa, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire each have four appearances, but Senegal stands out for reaching the quarterfinals.

CAF Women’s Player of the Year: Nigeria has produced 13 winners since 2001, more than all other countries combined
  • Nigeria remains the country with the most overall winners.
  • Three Nigerian players — Asisat Oshoala (6), Perpetua Nkwocha (4), and Cynthia Uwak (2) — have won the award more than once.
  • Outside Nigeria, only Ghana, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon have produced winners, showing limited spread beyond Nigeria in the first two decades.
  • In recent years, the award has become more competitive, with new winners emerging from Morocco, Zambia, and South Africa, signaling a noticeable shift away from long-standing Nigerian dominance.

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