Madagascan upstart Ahmad has managed what had seemed impossible for many years and beat Issa Hayatou to become the new Confederation of African Football (CAF) president on Thursday. The 70-year-old Hayatou had been president since 1988 and Lionel Messi was only nine months old when he became the most powerful man in continental football. His 29-year reign finally came to an end after Ahmad won the CAF election by 34 to 20 votes on a dramatic day in African football. It is believed that the 57-year-old Ahmad‚ a former government minister and who goes by just a single name‚ will usher in a new era in continental football.