Host country United Arab Republic Runners-up Sudan Goals scored 8 (2.67 per match) Top scorer Mahmoud El-Gohary Teams 3 | Venue(s) 1 (in 1 host city) Matches played 3 Dates 22 May 1959 – 29 May 1959 Best player Mahmoud El-Gohary | |
 | ||
Champions United Arab Republic (2nd title) Champion Egypt national football team Third place Ethiopia national football team Similar 1957 African Cup of N, 1962 African Cup of N, 1982 African Cup of N, 1984 African Cup of N, 1974 African Cup of N | ||
The 1959 African Cup of Nations was the second edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa (CAF). It was hosted and won by the United Arab Republic, a short-lived confederation between Egypt and Syria. Only three teams participated: host team United Arab Republic, Sudan and Ethiopia. All three matches took place in Cairo.
Contents
Overview
With only three teams, the format changed into a round robin group, but the results were the same, the United Arab Republic won over Ethiopia 4−0 and over Sudan 2−1. The Sudanese finished second, defeating Ethiopia 1−0. This edition will also be remembered because of the three coaches from Eastern Europe: the Czechoslovakian Starosta (Ethiopia) and Hada (Sudan), the Hungarian Pál Titkos, coach of Egypt.
Mahmoud El-Gohary, who would later become manager of the Egyptian team between 1988 and 2002, would be the top scorer of this edition of the tournament.