The big guide to the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations: favourites, stars and many interesting facts

A large number of European clubs, especially English ones, and no doubt their supporters, blush with hatred at the mention of the phrase Africa Cup of Nations. This is because key players from each team are descending on the tournament, which is multiplying the problem at a time when coronavirus is rampant in the cabins. Still, the tournament, which is just beginning for the top nations of the world’s hottest continent, is worth watching. There will be many well-known stars, interesting talents and, above all, top-class football.

It is unusual for an inter-continental competition of this nature to be held in the same year as the World Cup. However, the pandemic is throwing pitchforks wherever it can, and so the much-delayed Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the de facto African Championship, will finally take place at the very beginning of 2022.

Incidentally, like last year’s Euros, the name of the event includes the year in which it was originally scheduled to take place, AFCON 2021. What has not changed, however, is the venue for the tournament, Cameroon, which will spread the matches across five of its cities.

Play will begin this Sunday, January 9, and the final is scheduled for Sunday, February 6, with the opening and closing matches to be played in the country’s capital, Yaounde, at the 60,000-seat stadium named after the local president, Paul Biyao.

The reason why the Africa Cup of Nations is being played during the current season, or in preparation for the spring half of the season, is prosaic and practically the same as in the case of this year’s World Cup – in Cameroon it will be “only” around 30 degrees Celsius during January, and there is virtually no risk of sunshine.

As far as the playing system is concerned, since the 32nd edition of the previous edition, instead of 16 teams, 24 teams are playing in six groups, each playing one match against the other. The top two from each table and the other four, who finish in third place, will advance to the eight-finals.

The title of African champions will be defended by Algeria, who beat Senegal narrowly 1-0 in the final at the last tournament. Nigeria finished third then. Egypt has the most trophies, having won the AFCON 7 times, the last time in 2010.

As for general information, it is worth mentioning that for the first time in the history of the tournament, all matches will be under the supervision of VAR. The prize for the winning team has also been announced, which is 5 million USD (107.5 million CZK).

Favourites

Algeria:: As the defending champions of a trophy that is strikingly reminiscent of the one awarded to the World Cup champions, they are certainly not to be missed on this list. Coach Djamel Belmadi is betting on certainty, with 15 of the 23 players from the tournament played two and a half years ago in the squad, with 9 of the starting final 11.

The North Africans will be looking to set a new record for the number of international matches without defeat during the tournament, which was set by Italy only last year shortly after winning the Euro at 37. Algeria is now at thirty-four.

Its front rows in particular are brimming with stars. The captain is none other than Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez. He is complemented up front by unlikely childhood friends Youcef Belaili and Baghdad Bounedjah, the hero who scored the only goal of the last final.

Senegal:: It’s actually quite surprising that they haven’t dominated the AFCON once yet. In Egypt, it came closest and on Cameroonian soil, according to the bookmakers (the Czech ones list odds of 5:1), it is even the biggest favourite.

The team is led by Aliou Cissé, whom some may remember thanks to his engagements at Paris Saint-Germain, Birmingham or Portsmouth. He has been the coach of the Senegalese since 2015 and critics accuse him of not having very broad horizons tactically.

The Teranga Lions, as the team is nicknamed, usually play a 4-2-3-1 formation under him with Chelsea star Edouard Mendy in goal. The backbone of the team is then made up of other stars well-known to European football fans, such as Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, PSG midfielder Idrissa Gueye and most importantly Liverpool sniper Sadio Mané.

Cameroon: Last but not least, the host, who usually plays a little better than others in front of its own crowd and on its own turf. In the case of the team from the Gulf of Guinea, this is several times more true.

After all, Cameroon has not lost an official match played on its territory since February 1973! It is simply impossible to bet against someone with such staggering statistics. Moreover, the abilities, skills and overall impact of the new president of local football, Samuel Eto’o, may very well become apparent very quickly.

Coach Toni Conceicao will be able to rely on his captain Vincent Aboubakar, until recently at Besiktas and now donning the Al-Nassr jersey. Goalkeeper André Onana and stopper Michael Ngadeu-Ngadui, known from his time at Slavia Prague, are also key for the team.

Players from the Premier League

The month-long African Cup of Nations is interfering with the season and is affecting the English Premier League the most.

In fact, 34 players, most of them quite important to their clubs, have left. In addition, covid-19, especially its omicron variant, is now in charge in the cabins, so the teams will have a lot of work to do in the next few weeks to be able to build quality elevens.

For example, Arsenal, for which five players have been nominated for Africa. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has caught the coronavirus and his start for Gabon at the championship is uncertain, while Partey (Ghana), Pépé (Ivory Coast), Elneny (Egypt) and Rekik (Tunisia) will also be missing.

Aston Villa will lose Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso) or Trezeguet (Egypt), Brentford will miss important midfielder Frank Onyeka (Nigeria), Brighton will miss Yves Bissouma (Mali). Burnley will lose Maxwell Cornet (Ivory Coast), Chelsea will lose Edouard Mendy (Senegal).

Crystal Palace will lose three important pillars of their squad – Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal) and Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast). Everton will miss Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Leicester Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho (both Nigeria) as well as Daniel Amartey (Ghana).

Liverpool cannot count on Sadio Mané (Senegal), Naby Keita (Guinea) or this season’s clear Premier League top scorer Mohamed Salah (Egypt) in the next month. Leaders Manchester City will be weakened by Riyad Mahrez, while their city rivals United will be weakened by Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast).

Southampton’s Moussa Djenepo (Mali) has gone to Cameroon, Watford’s Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria), Adam Masina and Imran Louza (both Morocco) are all injured and therefore probably unfit anyway.

West Ham United lose Said Benrahma (Algeria), and finally Romain Saiss (Morocco) will not start the next few games for Wolverhampton.

Other big stars

We have already listed the Premier League players taking part in the African Cup of Nations. However, the tournament will of course not only be about them and other big leagues are of course sending very interesting footballers to Cameroon.

For example, Ligue 1, specifically Paris Saint-Germain, has sent a member of the Moroccan national team, Achraf Hakimi, to “represent” them. This only 23-year-old defender already has experience from Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and most recently the French capital, so he definitely has something to offer.

No less noteworthy are AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast), Patrik Schick’s young teammate from Bayer Leverkusen Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso) or Amadou Haidara (Mali), RB Leipzig midfielder.

The attention of the European spectators of the tournament will surely be drawn to other familiar names such as Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria – Villareal winger), Kamaldeen Sulemana (Ghana – only 19 years old Rennes sniper) or Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco – Sevilla striker).

The Czech fan may be very interested in Cameroon, which will be represented by former Slav player Ngadeu-Ngadui, Ivory Coast, for which another well-known Sešivan face Simon Deli may play, and Nigeria, where a current Prague player Peter Olayinka has been nominated.

Where to watch AFCON?

Source: The Athletic, Goal