AFCON 2025: Man Notices Strange Change on Social Media After Quarter-final, Asks Important Questions
- A casual online comment after a major football match unexpectedly changed one man’s social media experience, opening up a whole new side of African football conversations and reactions
- What started as light sports banter quickly turned into something bigger, as many users noticed strange changes on their timelines and began sharing similar unexpected experiences online
- The discussion showed how powerful social media algorithms can be, especially during big tournaments
A Nigerian man has sparked conversation on social media after sharing an unusual effect of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) banter on his social media feed. His comments came days after Nigeria defeated Algeria in the quarterfinals on January 11, 2025.
According to him, engaging in light football banter with non-English speakers across Africa drastically changed his social media algorithm. He explained that his timeline was suddenly filled with posts in Arabic and French.
Source: Twitter
The man, Fola Olatunji-David (@folasanwo) wrote on X:
“Just small football banter from yesterday’s game, now my whole For You page has changed to French and Arabic. I don translate tire. Also seems no one wanted Algeria to win, like 5 countries dey banter them after that game,” he said.
Other users quickly joined the conversation, sharing similar experiences with Olatunji-David
@lekkyfun said:
“I no even banter them but the same is happening on my for you TL, I have never translated as many tweets in my twitter experience as I have done over the last 20hrs.”
Source: Twitter
@tchinemelum wrote:
“Bro I just made a tweet asking grok to revert my TL to what it was before yesterday. Every 9/10 tweets I’ve seen since morning are all in Arabic and I have to translate to understand.”
@DJennieJay added:
“I’ve gone from translating on Twitter to using Google Lens to translate posters and graphics. Jumping up and down.”
See the full post below:
Another user described the experience as unexpectedly educational:
“It was really interesting, I must say. In fact, it was the most geopolitical education I’ve had in decades. Though the translating part was hectic at some point, I enjoyed the information I got.”
Emmanuel Kelechi shared:
“Same thing here. I had to show that I’m uninterested in some of their tweets before sanity was restored to my timeline.”
Aliyu Makarfi added:
“I swear my TL has turned to French and Arabic. Even the Arsenal match I just finished watching, almost all the tweets are in French. I use translator tire.”
Oluwatobi joked:
“By the time AFCON finishes, I’ll be fluent in French and Arabic.”
Omojuwa commented on how powerful social media algorithms can be, noting how online interactions can unintentionally reshape what users see on their timelines.
Another user summed it up, saying:
“The rivalry with North Africans is enough to change your page. Don’t play with them. You will learn Arabic and French by force.”
The reactions highlighted how AFCON rivalries go beyond football, influencing online spaces and exposing users to different languages and cultures across the continent.
Algeria petitions CAF after AFCON quarter-final defeat
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Algeria filed an official complaint to CAF after their AFCON quarterfinal defeat to Nigeria.
FAF listed a missed penalty, excessive bookings, and referee conduct as key issues in their petition. CAF confirmed it commenced an investigation into the post-match chaos and alleged misconduct.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
