The inaugural FIFA Club World Cup was greeted with excitement and enthusiasm across Africa, with four of the continent's strongest (?) sides relishing the opportunity to test themselves against the planet's finest.
Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi was unable to conclude his trophy-laden 2024-25 season with yet more silverware, although Chelsea's triumphant campaign was underpinned by African talent -- not all of whom did themselves justice.
Here are our African highlights -- and lowlights -- from a showcase which will be remembered very differently by the continent's key protagonists.
Jackson had a mare despite Chelsea's win
Chelsea, who comfortably outclassed Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's shock victory, gave playing time to a whopping 27 players across their seven games -- eight more than the European champions.
Finally, the club's bloated squad proved its worth, as various members of the loan army and new arrivals alike were given their run in the sun - or a chance to put themselves firmly in the transfer window.
Senegal's Nicolas Jackson certainly had a tournament to forget, and it may well prove to be his final fling in a Chelsea shirt given the rumours linking him with a move to the likes of AC Milan, Barcelona and Manchester United.
Jackson overcame a 13-match goalless streak with a late flurry of goals during the latter stages of the season, but his showing in the States was marred by an utterly thoughtless dismissal only four minutes after coming off the bench in the 3-1 defeat by Flamengo.
Ale Moreno and the ESPN FC crew discuss João Pedro's performance after Chelsea's 2-0 win.
Enzo Maresca publicly defended the Senegal frontman, but how readily will he be able to trust the striker again after yet another costly lapse, coming only four games after a similar dismissal against Newcastle United.
"The red card has nothing to do with Nico's future," Maresca said after the match. "I'm not sure that it's 100 per cent a red card but the referee decided that.
"Nico knows very well that in both situations, [it] was not something good for the team."
To be honest, he may not need to persist with the misfiring striker, with the signings of the combative Liam Delap and three-goal João Pedro relegating Jackson to the bench for the rest of the tournament - bar half an hour against Fluminense - once his suspension was observed.
Rare indeed that a striker begins a tournament as his team's undisputed No. 9 only to be relegated to (potentially) third choice by the competition's end, but will the 24-year-old ever get the opportunity to rehabilitate his reputation at Stamford Bridge?
France U-20 international Mamadou Sarr -- son of Senegal 2002 hero Pape Sarr -- was given his first Chelsea outing with an eight-minute cameo against Esperance, while Portuguese-Angolan wonderkid Dário Essugo made his Blues debut in the tournament, having signed from Sporting CP in March.
"Not even in my dreams," he wrote on his @DarioEssug0 Twitter handle, with a photo clutching the CWC trophy. "Thanks [to] God for so many blessings."
Anglo-Ghanaian duo Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George have both already been beneficiaries of Maresca's willingness to invest in young players, with both featuring prominently during the club's run to the Conference League crown.
They saw brief action during the CWC - Acheampong impressed across the full 90 against Esperance - although will either will be part of Maresca's first-team plans this term?
No such concerns for Tosin Adarabioyo, whose commanding performances during the competition - notably against Esperance - and his influence in the Blues dressing role should guarantee a prominent role next term.
The 27-year-old acknowledged during the tournament that - with the World Cup looming - he will soon need to decide whether his international future lies with England or Nigeria.
Gab Marcotti and Rob Palmer discuss whether or not the Club World Cup was successful or a failure.
Hakimi impressed despite exhausting season
Hakimi may have fallen just short in his quest to win a fifth title this season, but the fullback nonetheless gave an excellent account of himself during the competition - at least until that jaded showing against Chelsea in New Jersey.
As he had been against Reims, Arsenal and Internazionale in critical knockout games during this season, he was lethal going forward during the latter stages of the tournament, finding the net against Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami before registering assists in the 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich and the demolition of Real Madrid.
Given that Hakimi's season started back in late July 2024, when he played for a full 90 minutes across all six of Morocco's Olympic matches, it's testament to his remarkable conditioning that the 26-year-old was still able to influence proceedings going forward... at least until his steam ran out in the final.
He was nonetheless named in FIFA's Team of the Tournament alongside his international teammate Yassine Bounou, who forged an excellent defensive unit behind his Al Hilal colleague Kalidou Koulibaly.
The pair kept clean sheets against Salzburg and Pachuca, while Bounou was also the game's outstanding individual as both Real Madrid and then - decisively - Manchester City were frustrated.
Serhou Guirassy's showing for Borussia Dortmund went somewhat under the radar, although he still ended with four goals five matches - tying three other players as the competition's top scorer - while Esperance maverick Youcef Belaïli was arguably the most impressive (and certainly the most eye-catching) of the Africa-based players.
It's tantalising too to imagine what Belaili and Rayan Aït-Nouri could achieve at the Africa Cup of Nations later this year if paired together on Algeria's left flank. The latter made an encouraging early start to his Manchester City after his £31.8 million move from Wolves... at least until Pep Guardiola's side were exposed defensively by Al Hilal and Marcos Leonardo.
What about Africa's four teams?
Esperance de Tunis
Expectations were low for Esperance ahead of the competition, and the performances weren't pretty, but victory over Los Angeles FC at least makes their three-game campaign a success.
They failed to play spoilers against Flamengo and Chelsea, with the opening defeat against the Brazilians immediately dampening expectations, but Belaili at least lived up to the billing.
Wydad Casablanca
Little to nothing was expected of the Moroccans heading into the CWC. Wydad qualified as CAF Champions League winners back in 2022, but the intervening years - not least finishing sixth in the Botola in 2024 - have seen chronic instability off the field and steady decline on it.
Against this backdrop, WAC performed slightly better than expected against City and Juve, failing to lay a glove on either European side, and can take credit for not being ravished by the attacking might of Guardiola's Cityzens.
However, against UAE's Al Ain, where they were favourites to take all three points, goals either side of half-time ultimately condemned Wydad to a point-less campaign...one of only five teams to go home with nothing.
At least Bafana Bafana duo Thembinkosi Lorch and Cassius Mailula both enhanced their reputations with goalscoring displays.
Catch all the best stats from Dortmund's thrilling 4-3 win over Mamelodi Sundowns in Group F at the Club World Cup.
What a missed opportunity the CWC proved to be for Sundowns, who gave themselves every chance of progressing with victory over Ulsan HD on matchday one, only to finish third in Group F.
The 4-3 defeat against Borussia Dortmund was one of the games of the tournament, and while the Brazilians were largely outclassed over the first hour - trailing 4-1 - it's to their credit that they battled back into the contest and gave themselves hopes of a point.
The 0-0 draw with Fluminense represents a decent isolated result, but ultimately, when Miguel Cardoso's side needed to increase the pressure, stretch their opponents, and forge an opening, they were found to be short of ideas and intensity.
In truth, this was largely uncharted territory for the serial South African champions, how often do they face a side as well-drilled, as well-organised, and as stout as Flu proved to be during those frustrating dying stages?
Perhaps it could have been a different story had Themba Zwane, clearly lacking match sharpness, not been coming back from an extended injury absence.
It was already hard to see how Sundowns' domestic hegemony would end any time soon - they've won eight consecutive titles -- but how will they leverage this over-$12m windfall from this tournament makes them more competitive on a continental or international level?
Al-Ahly
For a club so steeped in success, contending consistently with such intense expectations, Ahly's first round exit represents a bitter disappointment... and one largely of their own making.
Against Inter Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium in the opener, buoyed by a fantastic support from Egyptian supporters, they arguably had the better of the exchanges, but missed the golden opportunity to secure the win with a fluffed penalty.
Mahmoud Trézéguet, insisting on taking the 40th-minute spotkick ahead of designated taker Wessam Abou Ali, promptly had his poor effort saved by Oscar Ustari, and a glorious opportunity to take control in front of the watching world was spawned.
An injury to the outstanding Emam Ashore ended his tournament after 15 minutes, and Ahly never truly recovered after that rollercoaster first half.
They were outclassed against Palmeiras, but still could have qualified with victory over FC Porto in their final game, only to concede an 89th-minute Pepê equaliser following a frantic, chaotic 4-4 draw.
Overall record for African teams: P12 W2 D3 L7 GF11 GA23 GD-12 Pts9