Egypt retained the Africa Cup of Nations, Eto’o scored highest and Puma won as far as football boot brands go.

The Africa Cup of Nations has come of age and is now a tournament that stands up with the best. The standard of the game is very high, as is the excitement that is produced from the continents best footballing nations.

A record 99 goals were scored in the 3 weeks, there was not one penalty shoot out and extra time was used but once, a testament to the attacking tactics employed in Ghana.

Egypt took the trophy when they beat Cameroon 1 - 0 in the Ghanaian capital, Accra. Making it a record 6 wins for the Pharaoh’s.

Also for the 6th time, Puma sponsored a winning Africa Cup of Nations team. Puma have invested heavily in African nations, 2 in total, perhaps wiseley based on the improvement African teams have made in world football. In 28 out of the 32 games, at least one Puma team was present.

Samuel Eto’o was the top goal scorer of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, he scored five goals during the tournament. At just 26 years of age, Eto’o became the Africa Cup of Nations all time record goalscorer. He has scored 16 goals in five competitions.

Puma triumphed again, as Samuel Eto’o wears Puma’s football boots, the Puma V1.08.

The Adidas Wawa Aba football may be one of the major contributing factors for the flurry of goals we have seen so far at this year’s African Cup of Nations.

Already 54 goals have been scored following the conclusion of the second round of matches in the group stages, surpassing the number of goals scored at the same stage in the last four tournaments. At the 2006 tournament in Egypt, 33 goals were scored in the four groups after the second round of matches. The figure for the same stage at the 2004 tournament in Tunisia is 49 and that of the 2002 ACN in Mali is 15. So far in Ghana, 15 goals have been netted in Group A, 7 in Group B, 18 in Group C and 14 in group D.
Football analysts say the increasing number of goals may be a combination of more attacking play and the Adidas Wawa Aba football that is being used. The football is made of 14 panels produced with revolutionary thermo bonding technology. A thick inner layer enable perfect flight features enabling players to optimally control the ball and shoot with incredible power and precision.

Read article on the Adidas Wawa Aba

Football boot brand Puma has announced a multi- year extension of its kit sponsorship agreement with African Cup of Nations hosts Ghana through to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The announcement was made by Puma CEO Jochen Zeitz and Ghana FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi during a special reception in Ghana’s capital of Accra one day after the 2008 African Cup of Nations kicked off with a 2-1 Ghanian victory over Guinea, courtesy of a fantastic Sulley Muntari strike in the closing minutes.

“Ghana was one of the most inspiring stories of the 2006 World Cup, capturing the world’s attention with their exciting style of play and passion for the game,” said Zeitz. “Puma is proud to extend our partnership with them for many years to come and we wish The Black Stars the best of luck during the next three weeks in the African Cup on their home soil.”

The Black Stars have been a dominant force on the African continent for the past half century, winning the African Cup of Nations four times (1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982) and finishing second on three occasions. They have previously hosted or co-hosted (with Nigeria) the African Cup on three occasions, winning twice as host in 1963 and 1978.

In 2006, the team made its first-ever World Cup appearance, upsetting the Czech Republic and the United States in group play before falling to Brazil in the Second Round .

“We are proud to be partners with such a global brand that has made a commitment to football in both Ghana and the African continent on the whole,” said Ghana FA President Nyantakyi. “Puma has consistently delivered on its promise of support - and this is further evidence of Puma’s confidence and commitment in their relationship with the Black Stars and Ghana Football.”

Ghana plays its second ACN Group A match against Namibia on Thursday evening.