CAIRO -- Algeria's players ran toward the swaying mass of green and white behind the goal, some swinging from the crossbars while others could barely contain themselves from running into the stands and allowing themselves to be submerged in 15,000 of their jubilant, incredulous countrymen.

This meant everything: It meant a first Africa Cup of Nations title for almost three decades, and it meant a fresh surge of optimism for a country that has been in the throes of revolution this year.

The tears...

African football loves to laud its superstars. Images, narratives and stories surrounding Mohamed Salah dominated the first half of this Africa Cup of Nations, while Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez have stepped into the limelight during the knockout stages following the hosts' early exit.

Now some quarters are billing Friday's final between Algeria and Senegal as a showdown between Mahrez and Mane -- a re-run of the epic Manchester City-Liverpool slugfest that drove that English Premier League title...

 For Djamel Belmadi and Aliou Cisse, there is the overwhelming sense that Friday's Africa Cup of Nations final between Algeria and Senegal was written in the stars. It is not so long since they were lining up opposite each other at youth competitions in Champigny-sur-Marne, a dormitory town outside of Paris. On Friday they will walk out together in the crucible of Cairo International Stadium, holding their respective countries' footballing fates in their hands.

"It is fate," said Belmadi,...