Emilio Nsue, a 34-year-old football player, is making headlines as he leads the scoring charts in the Africa Cup of Nations while playing for Equatorial Guinea. Despite usually being a right-back in the Spanish third division, he has scored five goals in the group stage, which has propelled his country to national celebration, with the president declaring a national holiday in honor of their achievements.

Nsue’s impressive performance has garnered attention, as he has become the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the tournament’s history. His five goals in the group stage are the second-highest tally in the history of the competition, only surpassed by Laurent Poku’s seven goals in 1970. Nsue’s contributions have been instrumental in leading Equatorial Guinea to the round of 16, ahead of teams like Nigeria and Ivory Coast.

Despite his modest club background in the Spanish lower leagues, Nsue has shown his prowess as a goal scorer, both for his national team and his club team in Alicante, where he is the top scorer with seven goals in 15 matches. His success has brought pride and recognition to Equatorial Guinea, a small country with a population of only 1.6 million, wedged between Cameroon and Gabon. The president has announced a significant monetary reward for the national team, as they continue to make history on the international stage.