The African Cup of Nations is barely a month away from kickoff. The showpiece event will be staged in Egypt and will feature 24 of the best footballing nations in the continent. Kenya will be among the 24 teams fighting to be crowned as the kings of African football.
In all honesty, the Harambee Stars are not expected to win the tournament, it is actually the first time that we will be participating in the event in 15 years! However, there are a few giants who are highly expected to go all the way through or at the very least make the semi-finals. Below we take a look at the team to look out for in the African Cup of Nations 2019.
Egypt
The fact that they are the hosts gives them a slight advantage over other teams as they will have the fans behind them in every single match and in any stadium. Home comforts aside, the Pharaohs have one of the best players in the world in Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
The left-footed winger is currently in the form of his life and has won back to back Golden boots awards in the English Premier League. Salah was also voted as the best Premier League player in 2018. In midfield, Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny is a sure starter alongside the ever-excellent Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan who plays for Kasimpasa.
Egypt is the record Champions having won the tournament 7 times with three of those coming while they were the host nation. With the quality that the team has, you would not put it past them to make it 4 wins at home and 8 overall triumphs.
Senegal
The Lions of Teranga have never won the tournament despite having some of the finest players in the continent over the years. In 2002, they had arguably what was the best team in Africa but lost on penalties in the final against Samuel Etoo’s Cameroon. The fact that the same team made it to the quarterfinals of the World cup that year speaks volume on the quality and character they had.
Grouped alongside the Kenya, Algeria, and Tanzania in group C, Senegal comes into this tournament with an aim of proving that they are no longer Africa’s sleeping giants. In terms of quality, the team has some of the finest in the World.
Liverpool’s forward Sadio Mane is obviously the best, he is World Class and scored 22 Premier League goals last season earning him the Golden Boot.
80% of their AFCON squad play in Europe and includes former Newcastle striker Pappis Demba Cisse of German Bundesliga side Freiburg and Moussa Sow who plays for Lille in France. Senegal has it in them to conquer Africa and maybe this could be the year they actually do it.
Cameroon
The defending Champions have so much quality in their side such that they can afford to leave out Liverpool center back Joel Matip from the traveling squad. They did, however, win it without him two years ago so he will not be that much of a miss in Egypt.
Key names Karl Toko Ekambi, Vincent Aboubakar, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, and Andre Onana have been included in Seedorf’s shortlist, as has Christian Bassogog, the Afcon MVP when Cameroon won the tournament in 2017. They are managed by Former AC Milan player and coach Clarence Seedorf who is also a Champions League winner.
With the likes of Ajax shot-stopper Andre Onana in their ranks, the five times Champions could go all the way and clinch the title for the second time running and a 6th overall which would be a new recorded.
Ivory Coast
The golden generation of Yaya Toure, Didier Drogba, and Kolo Toure may be over but the Ivory Coast has a new crop of exciting young stars that are ready to take Africa by storm! The best of the bunch has to be Lille’s livewire winger Nicholas Pepe who has 22 goals and 13 assists in 33 games for Lille this season.
On the left wing is Crystal palace forward Wilfred Zaha who has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal this summer. Manchester United’s Eric Bailly will hope to be fit in time for the tournament with Tottenham Hotspurs Serge Aurier in the squad too!
The Elephants have always been a force to be reckoned with in African football and it will be no different in Egypt next months.