• "A long time ago, a lion roamed the whole of Africa. It visited each nation with a plea, "Please, name your team after me," he started off.
• Kenya named her team after a star. Tanzania named her team after a non-existent star, he explained.
Image: CAF/X
A Kenyan football fan has given what most would consider hilarious as the mythical influence behind the naming of most African national football teams as Lions.
The debate was ignited by CNN journalist Larry Madowo who posed the question on his X account Thursday evening.
"Why are so many African teams named Lions?" Larry asked.
While one user pointed out that African teams named Lions are not many such, several others still gave comical responses, but none was as captivating as one penned by @CSakwah.
"A long time ago, a lion roamed the whole of Africa. It visited each nation with a plea, "Please, name your team after me," he started off.
"Uganda clicked her lips and named her team after cranes. The lion was offended. It said, "You will never win the Afcon"."
Kenya named her team after a star. Tanzania named her team after a non-existent star, he explained.
"The lion was offended by East African nations. So, it visited the West African nations and said, "Look, brothers, I visited East African nations and requested them to name their teams after me. They ignore me. And now, they have never won an Afcon tournament or qualified for the World Cup.
According to @CSakwah, this realisation instilled fear in West African nations who opted to bid the lion's advice and named their national teams after the king of the Jungle.
"And that is why West African teams are more successful in football than East African teams," @CSakwah said.
Incredibly, Kenya's national team is called Harambee Stars, Tanzania have Taifa Stars while Uganda's soccer team is called Uganda Cranes.
Kenya has qualified for Afcon six times with its debut in 1972.
It was eliminated on all occasions at the Group stage in the 1972, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2004 and 2019 editions.
Uganda has featured in seven Afcon competitions finishing runners-up in 1978 after losing 2-0 to Ghana in the finals.
The country also featured in the 1962, 1968, 1974, 1976, 2017 and 2019 editions.
Tanzania has only played in three Africa Cup of Nations; in 1980, 2019 and in the ongoing 2023 tournament in Ivory Coast where they were eliminated at the Group stage.
Meanwhile, West Africa's Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and The Lions of Teranga of Senegal are still in contention.
Cameroon are the next most successful team in Afcon with five titles to their name and three other podium finishes.
They have qualified for this year's last 16 following their dramatic 3-2 victory over The Gambia on Tuesday.
Defending champions Senegal have played in 16 Afcon editions, and finished fourth in two while the 2021 edition (held in 2022) is their first-ever triumph at the continental showpiece after beating Egypt on penalties in the final.
They have also qualified for the round of 16 by winning all their three Group matches in the tournament where they remain favourites.