Old but Gold: Little Girl Who Held 2008 AFCON Trophy Trends Again, CAF Hails Her
- Mimi Boateng captured the hearts of football fans worldwide during the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Accra
- The 8-year-old proudly carried the trophy inside the stadium, despite her nation not reaching the final of the competition
- Mimi has become an engineer in the UK, and footage showing her on duty during the AFCON final has sent the social media space agog
Back in 2008, a little girl of about 8 years melted the hearts of football fans across the globe when she appeared during the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite her nation missing out on the final, which involved Egypt and Cameroon, the little Mimi Boateng captured hearts shortly before kick-off.
And more than 17 years after that special moment, Mimi has grown into a brilliant young woman and is now an engineer in the United Kingdom.
Source: Getty Images
Internet users came across the footage and have expressed admiration for the amazing beauty, flooding the comments section with heartfelt reactions, per Adom.
That night, the Pharaohs of Egypt claimed the title courtesy of a 76th-minute strike by Mohamed Aboutrika, helping his country to the title for a consecutive time.
The Pharaohs went on to strengthen their legacy as Africa’s most successful side, taking their trophy count to seven AFCON trophies after clinching the 2010 title.
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, had shared the footage showing young Mimi, carried in a palanquin, as she proudly held the glittering trophy inside the Accra Sports Stadium.
CAF added the caption:
"A moment as timeless as its image."
The comments section was flooded with mixed reactions. @atuobi33 trolled:
"The only Ghanaian that has seen and touched the CAF trophy in our current generation. She must be one lucky girl."
@AvitusMuga95109 added:
"Africa blended in culture and love for goodness."
@Dramxz said:
"Very beautiful. Who knows where the girl now so can contribute money for her."
@GHnationalist57 posted:
"Proudly Ghanaian. Our culture and history is so beautiful."
Where is Mimi Boateng?
Mimi was a pupil at SOS-Hermann Gmeiner International College in Tema, Ghana, at the time of her unforgettable AFCON appearance.
She has now chosen a totally different career path, far from football, as she is now an accomplished woman.
Reports have it that she bagged a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from University College London and currently works as a project analyst with EY.
Even though she now lives abroad, Mimi's passion for African football remains undimmed. She said, as per YEN:
“I get very passionate when I’m watching Ghana football. Of late, we’ve been very disappointing, so I tend not to watch many matches,” she admitted to PulseGH in a previous interview.
“That said, every time I say I won’t watch a Ghana game, I end up watching. I’m hopeful that, eventually, we’ll pick up again.”
Source: Getty Images
AFCON 2008 hero passes away
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigeria-born Beninese international Razak Omotoyossi passed away on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at the age of 39.
The AFCON 2008 star scored 21 goals in 55 appearances for Benin, making him the nation’s all-time top scorer.
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Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
