..to The Tap-Inn. Where you can tap in to the world of soccer with me, your first-gen Irish Tap-Inn bartender, Joe.

Happy Monday, folks. On today’s afro-menu:

Ready? I thought so. Let’s pour.

If you’re wondering why African players like Mo Salah, Bryan Mbeumo or Omar Marmoush have suddenly vanished from your Premier League club’s lineup, here’s why. 👇

From December 21st until January 18th, The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is being held in Morocco. AFCON is an opportunity for top African players from across the globe to represent their respective countries for a shot at continental glory — even though it means leaving their club teams mid-season.

“Joe, are you telling me my beloved Mo Salah is gonna miss every Liverpool game until the end of Jan ‘cause he’ll be busy playing ball in North Africa?”

Yes. That’s exactly what I’m telling you. Well done, reader.

AFCON has a long history, running since 1957 and is famous for chaos, upsets, heat, noise and moments you won’t see anywhere else. It’s usually held every two years, but from 2028 onward, CAF plans to shift the tournament to a four-year cycle to align it more closely with other major international competitions.

Achraf Hakimi’s tournament favourite’s Morocco kicked us off yesterday with a 2-0 win over Comoros.

Over to you, Mr Salah.

Kylian Mbappé has officially matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 59 goals in a calendar year after scoring a penalty in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Sevilla on Saturday.

It’s last call for the French talisman however — that was Madrid’s final game of 2025, meaning he won’t have an opportunity to actually break Ronaldo’s record.

Wins for the league’s in-form team Aston Villa (2-1 vs Man United) and a resurgent Man City (3-0 vs West Ham) keeps the pressure on Arsenal who beat Everton 1-0 this weekend. The gunners maintain a 2-point lead at the top of the table.

In such a competitive league it’s unsurprising that historically, the team spending Christmas on top has only gone on to win 17 of the 33 Premier League seasons to date (51.5%). Game on.

Mo Salah will be aiming for his first AFCON title with Egypt after falling short in the 2021 final. He kicks off his campaign tonight against Zimbabwe at 15:00 EST — watch live on Fubo here.

What country has won the most AFCON titles?

Keep scrolling for the answer 👇

They’re 80/1 long-shots to win the World Cup next year, but could be worth a punt. Here’s why:

With a mix of experienced stars and rising talent, Morocco are one of Africa’s top contenders heading into the World Cup.

“Joe — would you say Morocco are the host with the most?”

I absolutely would. Not only are they hosting AFCON in 2025, but they’ll also co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal. My kinda country.

Used to describe someone comfortable on the ball — even when opponents are swarming them. They don’t panic, they don’t hoof it and they never ever seem to lose it.

Press resistance matters most for deep midfielders and center backs, i.e., the players who touch the ball when pressure is highest and mistakes are most costly. Some elite press resistant players are:

Continuing with the AFCON theme, Mali’s AFCON 2025 home kit is a statement piece.

A clean white base is cut through by a bold, vertical chest pattern inspired by traditional Malian textiles. Big “culture first, soccer second” kinda vibes.

Egypt has the most AFCON titles with a record of seven. 🇪🇬

They’re followed by Cameroon (5) and Ivory Coast (3).

Thanks for stopping by The Tap-Inn.

If you enjoyed this, forward it to that friend who knows nothing about soccer and help spread the good word.

I’ll be behind the bar every week, Monday and Friday, serving up soccer.

As they say in Morocco, “bsaha” (b-sah-ha). 🍻

— Joe