MOHAMED SALAH can top off a brilliant year by inspiring Egypt to African Cup of Nations glory on home soil.
The month-long tournament kicks off today, having been pushed back a month due to Ramadan.
And Champions League winner Salah will be one of a number of superstars competing to be kings of Egypt.
SunSport’s Tom Barclay analyses the countries taking part while former Sierra Leone boss Leroy Rosenior, one of the pundits for Eurosport’s upcoming coverage, gives his verdict on the runners and riders…
GROUP A
EGYPT (nicknamed The Pharaohs)
BOSS: Javier Aguirre. Ex-midfielder whose 24-year managerial career has seen him boss Atletico Madrid, Japan and Mexico twice – as well as becoming embroiled in a Spanish match-fixing scandal.
STAR: Mo Salah. The reigning African footballer of the year became a Champions League winner with Liverpool this month, confirming his status as one of the world’s best players.
PREM INTEREST: Apart from Salah, Arsenal midfielder Mohamed El Neny and Aston Villa captain Ahmed El Mohamady are two of Egypt’s most experienced pros.
FACT ME: The Pharaohs have been bossed by three Englishmen, the last of which was ex-Wales and Hull chief Mike Smith for three years in the mid 80s.
AFCON BEST: Winners (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Mo Salah will be absolutely buzzing.
“The end of the season last year couldn’t have been any worse for him, getting injured in the Champions League final and going to the World Cup not fully fit.
“This year he has won the Champions League and is in good form. Egypt will understand how to play in the heat, will control games and with Salah, they have a player who can help them make a real impact.”
DR CONGO (nicknamed The Leopards)
BOSS: Florent Ibenge. Former Shanghai Shenhua boss combines his Leopards role with his position as manager of Kinshasa outfit Vita Club, where he won the Congolese top-flight title last year.
STAR: Cedric Bakambu. Jumped on the Chinese Super League gravy train when joining Beijing Guoan from Villarreal for £35.4million in February 2018 and has been prolific in the Far East.
PREM INTEREST: West Ham’s Arthur Masuaku should line up at left-back, while there is plenty of Prem past and present in Yannick Bolasie, Giannelli Imbula, Chancel Mbemba and Youssouf Mulumbu.
FACT ME: Strikers Cedric Bakambu and Dieumerci Mbokani, once of Norwich, were at Brussels Airport when it was struck by terror attacks in March 2016 – but escaped unharmed.
AFCON BEST: Winners (1968, 1974)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “They have strength in depth and I expect them to go through.
“Their organisation has always been good and will be someone that no one will want to meet in the latter stages.”
UGANDA (nicknamed The Cranes)
BOSS: Sebastien Desabre. Frenchman quit then Egyptian Premier League table-toppers Ismaily two years ago for Uganda – replacing Serb Milutin Sredojevic who had quit over unpaid wages.
STAR: Farouk Miya. The versatile forward, currently with Croatian outfit Gorica, is only 21 yet has racked up more than 50 appearances and 21 goals for his country.
PREM INTEREST: None. The nearest they get to it is Harrow-born Bevis Mugabi, who was recently released by Yeovil Town following their relegation from the EFL.
FACT ME: Uganda’s first-ever boss was Englishman and former World War Two gunner Alan Rogers, who bossed in 16 countries, including the Philippines, the US, South Africa and Iran.
AFCON BEST: Runners-up (1978)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “It would be a shock if they did well but they’re always organised and always have great spirit.
“Their aim will be to get out of what is a very tough group.”
ZIMBABWE (nicknamed The Warriors)
BOSS: Sunday Marimo. Zimbabwe love a bit of Sunday service, with this the 67-year-old’s FOURTH spell. Once missed out on a job at South Africa’s Umtata Bush Bucks because he lost his passport!
STAR: Marvelous Nakamba. The midfielder has a lot to live up to with a name like that but has been a regular for 2018 Belgian champions Club Brugge for the last two seasons.
PREM INTEREST: None despite the history with the likes of Bruce Grobelaar and Peter Ndlovu. Striker Admiral Muskwe, 20, has been on Leicester’s books since he was nine – though he was left out of the final squad.
FACT ME: Zimbabwe’s squad has Talent and Knowledge – midfielders Talent Chawapiwa and Knowledge Musona. Only the Lord can fathom why keeper Godknows Murwira was left out.
AFCON BEST: Group stage (2004, 2006, 2017)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “There are not a lot of players who come out of Zimbabwe that play at the higher level and are the rank outsiders in this group.
“If they can win a game and get off to a decent start, they might cause a surprise, but it’s going to be backs-to-the-wall stuff for them.”
GROUP B
NIGERIA (nicknamed the Super Eagles)
BOSS: Gernot Rohr. The German was a legendary player turned manager at Bordeaux and has spent the last decade in central-Western Africa, bossing Gabon, Niger, Burkina Faso and now Nigeria.
STAR: Alex Iwobi. The Arsenal winger has steadily improved in the last few years, racking up 100 Premier League appearances and scoring a stunning consolation goal in the Europa League final.
PREM INTEREST: Leicester pair Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho head a list that also includes Brighton defender Leon Balogun and ex-Chelsea star John Obi Mikel, who has just left Middlesbrough.
FACT ME: Nigeria won the competition in 2013 with Victor Moses, John Obi Mikel and Joseph Yobo starring – yet Africa’s most populous nation failed to qualify for the next two tournaments.
AFCON BEST: Winners (1980, 1994, 2013)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “We always go into this tournament saying ‘God, they’ve got some good players’. They rarely get it together.
“Sometimes there is too much player power and often too much going off the field. But if they do get it together, then they are one of the favourites.”
GUINEA (nicknamed the National Elephants)
BOSS: Paul Put. The Belgian, 63, is on to his third African nation after bossing Gambia and Kenya – as well as Chinese outfit Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard.
STAR: Naby Keita. The Liverpool midfielder has been included in Guinea’s provisional squad, despite missing the end of the season – and the Champions League final – with a thigh injury.
PREM INTEREST: After captain Keita, there is only Fulham’s Ibrahima Cisse whose sole Premier League start was a 4-1 thrashing at Arsenal. He’ll hope for more game time in the Championship.
FACT ME: Ex-Guinea boss Titi Camara was managed at West Ham by Glenn Roeder, who claimed the ex-Liverpool striker was so bad that he nearly considered playing himself instead.
AFCON BEST: Runners-up (1978)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “A fit Naby Keita would obviously be a massive plus but it’s not just whether he’s fit to play, it’s whether he’s match fit. We saw what happened to Harry Kane in the Champions League final.
“It’s been a happy season in terms of what his club achieved, but from a personal point of view, I think Keits will be a little bit disappointed with his own season and he’ll want to make up for it.”
MADAGASCAR (nicknamed Barea)
BOSS: Nicolas Dupuis. After an unspectacular managerial career, the 51-year-old somehow led Madagascar to their first ever major tournament – and he did it in style.
STAR: Jeremy Morel. The Lyon defender, 35, was one of a handful of Frenchmen to switch allegiances after qualification – though Dupuis was wary of risking squad harmony by including too many converts.
PREM INTEREST: None whatsoever. The nearest Barea come is through striker William Gros, who had four seasons with Kilmarnock in Scotland before making a whopping two appearances for Oldham.
FACT ME: The historic win over Equatorial Guinea in October that sealed qualification was played away from the national stadium because of a venue ban imposed after a stampede where one person died.
AFCON BEST: Making their debut this year
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Dupuis has been with Madagascar two years and that’s been the key. Their first AFCON qualification is fantastic but their strength is he knows the players.
“He won’t be asking them to do anything they can’t do. They will be absolutely buzzing. I managed Sierra Leone and tried to get them to their first qualification. It means a hell of a lot to the country.
“They will go there and enjoy it and because they’re an unknown quantity, it makes them very, very dangerous. There will be a shock and Madagascar could be the team to do it.”
BURUNDI (nicknamed the Swallows)
BOSS: Olivier Niyungeko. A rare example of an African nation employing one of their own countrymen as boss, 48-year-old Niyungeko previously took Flambeau de l’Est to the Burundi Premier League title.
STAR: Abdul Razak. The striker, 25, plays his club football at Algerian outfit JS Kabylie and his six goals in qualifying was only bettered by Nigeria’s former Watford hitman Odion Ighalo.
PREM INTEREST: Stoke bad-boy Saido Berahino’s career in England may have hit the skids but he is set to captain his country in their tournament-opener against Nigeria.
Always a honour representing my country ?? #Afcon #Godisgood
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FACT ME: Alan Pardew hoped midfielder Gael Bigirimana would be the next big thing when he signed him from Coventry for £1m as an 18-year-old – now he can barely get a game at Hibs.
AFCON BEST: Making their debut this year
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Burundi’s infrastructure is horrific. Their national stadium holds just 10,000. So for them to be going up against the likes of Nigeria is almost a minor miracle.
“Berahino is their most well-known player whose career is an absolute waste of talent. That’s not what their built on though, they’re built on team spirit and everybody giving their utmost.
“It will be difficult for them and they’ve done fantastically to get there with a local coach who has come through the ranks. They won’t be celebrating already, but they should be.”
GROUP C
SENEGAL (nicknamed the Lions of Teranga)
BOSS: Aliou Cisse. Dreadlocked former Portsmouth and Birmingham midfielder had a reputation as a hardman as a player – and is not one to cross in the dugout either.
STAR: Sadio Mane. The jet-heeled forward has been linked with a mega-money move to Real Madrid but sees no reason to leave Champions League winners Liverpool. Captains his country.
PREM INTEREST: Mane, Idrissa Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyate are already in England – will world-class centre-back and Manchester United target Kalidou Koulibaly join them this summer?
FACT ME: Senegal are 23rd in the Fifa world rankings – the highest of all African nations.
AFCON BEST: Runners-up (2002)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Cisse has brought discipline to go with the talent they already have. I’m hoping for Koulibaly that his transfer or non-transfer is sorted out one way or the other.
“He’s a top, top player. People are talking about Matthijs De Ligt but Koulibaly has been doing it for years. A different sort of player, more powerful and ideally suited to the Premier League.
“People talk about Mo Salah, but Mane has been Liverpool’s best player this season, apart from Virgil van Dijk. My only worry is the heat because he plays with such energy. He’s had a long season and I wonder if this will be a step too far. He’s the key.”
ALGERIA (nicknamed the Desert Foxes)
BOSS: Djamel Belmadi. Former midfielder who had spells at Southampton and Manchester City, where he was the victim of a bank theft costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.
STAR: Riyad Mahrez. The Man City winger had been largely sidelined by Pep Guardiola this season but played a big part in the last-day win at Brighton that clinched the title and the FA Cup final triumph.
PREM INTEREST: Islam Slimani will return to Leicester this summer after a poor loan at Fenerbahce, following up last term’s shotshy spell at Newcastle.
FACT ME: Forward Youcef Belaili was banned from 2015 to 2017 after testing positive for cocaine, with CAS ruling he had ingested the substance unintentionally while smoking a shisha pipe.
AFCON BEST: Winners (1990)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Mahrez has won the league but he didn’t have the season he hoped for. He was sat on the bench for most of it and looked like a player Pep didn’t really trust, for the most part.
“So he’ll be go in fresh. Slimani will feel he has something to prove and with Mahrez delivering him crosses, that will suit him. I think he’ll perform.
“Being North Africans, the conditions will favour Algeria and they are always organised.”
KENYA (nicknamed Harambee)
BOSS: Sebastien Migne. The Frenchman, 46, previously bossed the Republic of Congo and masterminded the Harambee to their first CAF team of the year nomination last year.
STAR: Victor Wanyama. The Spurs midfielder will hope skippering Kenya to their first AFCON in 15 years will help get over the disappointment of the Champions League final.
PREM INTEREST: Nothing beyond Wanyama. There could have been more English interest but Crawley’s David Sesay, Braintree’s Henry Ochieng and Sutton’s Jonah Ayunga missed the final cut.
FACT ME: Boss Sebastien Migne is a keen reader and recently bought books on both Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp ahead of the Champions League final.
AFCON BEST: Group stage (1972, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2004)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Wanyama has had his injury problems but when he got back into the Spurs side, he did really well. Mauricio Pochettino will be thanking him because he probably came back a bit earlier than he should have done.
“Not playing in the Champions League final will have disappointed him but he’s a warrior, he’ll want to lead by example. He hasn’t had a lot of football this season so that will help. He’ll be looking forward to being the main man again.
“Kenya are third favourites in the group but if they can have a good first game, anything can happen.”
TANZANIA (nicknamed the Taifa Stars)
BOSS: Emmanuel Amunike. Former African Footballer of the Year who played for Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup, scored the winning goal in the final of the 1996 Olympics and played for Barcelona.
STAR: Mbwana Samatta. The Brighton target blasted 25 goals for Genk this term, winning the Ebony Award for Belgium’s best African player or player of African descent, previously won by Vincent Kompany.
PREM INTEREST: The nearest to the Prem is striker Adi Yussuf, 27, who came through the ranks at Leicester and has just joined Blackpool following stints at Burton, Mansfield and Solihull Moors.
FACT ME: Charismatic boss Emmanuel Amunike was previously a talent-spotter for Manchester United.
AFCON BEST: Group stage (1980)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “What Tanzania have a striker who scores goals which always gives you a chance. Samatta has had a good season in Genk and they will play to his strengths.
“The rest of the team will say ‘OK, we’ll defend for you’. He’s had such a good season he’ll be confident. They will be happy to defend for the most part and rely on set-pieces and counter attack.”
GROUP D
MOROCCO (nicknamed the Atlas Lions)
BOSS: Herve Renard. The 50-year-old with movie star good won the AFCON with Zambia in 2012 and with the Ivory Coast in 2015, while taking Morocco to their first World Cup for 20 years in Russia.
STAR: Hakim Ziyech. One of the many talents to emerge at Ajax this season, midfielder Ziyech has an agreement with the Dutch club that he can leave this summer if a suitable bid arrives.
PREM INTEREST: Romain Saiss. The Wolves ace, 29, has been used in midfield and defence by Nuno Espirito Santo in the Premier League but usually plays centre-back for his country.
FACT ME: Manager Herve Renard had a short spell as Cambridge United in 2004, where his approach was likened to Arsene Wenger, yet was sacked after a run of one point in eight games.
AFCON BEST: Winners (1976)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Herve Renard has vast experience of African football and if he can win the tournament with Morocco, it will be his third time.
“He loves the culture and the players over there and the players seem to love him. He’s a big, powerful guy and he’s the father figure in all those sides he’s managed.
“It’s so difficult to go into African football and earn that respect but he’s earnt it big time. Everyone will be wary of Morocco because of their quality, like Hakim Ziyech, and the manager.”
IVORY COAST (nicknamed the Elephants)
BOSS: Ibrahim Kamara. Former Under-23 boss was handed the job on an initial two-year deal in July as the Elephants finally ended their seven-month search for Marc Wilmots’ successor.
STAR: Nicolas Pepe. The Lille hotshot, 24, has been linked to a host of top European clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United, after blasting 22 goals this term.
PREM INTEREST: Wilfried Zaha is the standout name, having switched allegiances from England two years ago, while Serge Aurier, Jonathan Kodjia and Jean Michael Seri have also made the squad.
FACT ME: Isaac Drogba, the 18-year-old son of Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast’s record goal-scorer, is on the books at French side Guingamp.
AFCON BEST: Winners (1992, 2015)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “I don’t think Zaha needs a good AFCON to earn a move because everyone has seen how good he is. He’s more mature and looks ready to be in the environment of a club chasing Champions League.
“They may well be the most athletic side in the competition and when you marry that with their ability and the experience of their players playing in Europe, I put them with Egypt as favourites.”
SOUTH AFRICA (nicknamed Bafana Bafana)
BOSS: Stuart Baxter. The 65-year-old was born in Wolverhampton and came through the Preston ranks, but has since played and managed in 11 different countries including Japan, Finland and the US.
STAR: Brighton striker Percy Tau spent this season on loan in the Belgian second division with Union Saint-Gilloise, Albion’s feeder club, and hit four goals in qualifying.
PREM INTEREST: Boss Stuart Baxter hopes Crystal Palace kid Nikola Tavares will be offered a passport so he can switch from Croatia while Brentford midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo is in the squad.
FACT ME: Three years before his move to Leeds in 1994, South Africa legend Lucas Radebe was shot in the back while out buying drinks from his mother – and the perpetrator remains unknown
AFCON BEST: Winners (1996)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “When I speak to people who associate with the FA, they really talk highly of Stuart Baxter.
“I’ve been in South Africa recently and they have high expectations, despite not having the quality of years gone by. It’s a tough job.
“It will come down to him using his tactical nous to get through that group stage. They’ll have a lot of support too with a lot of fans travelling up.”
NAMIBIA (nicknamed the Brave Warriors)
BOSS: Ricardo Mannetti. The ex-midfielder led his country to their first international trophy with the Cosafa Cup in June 2015, quit 19 days later before rejoining that September and has been there since.
STAR: Ryan Nyambe. The Blackburn defender, 21, committed to the country of his birth last month and was hailed by manager Mannetti as a player “of a different dimension”.
PREM INTEREST: Namibia have few players to play outside of their own country, let alone the Premier League. The nearest they get is Blackburn’s Nyambe, who models his game on Rio Ferdinand.
FACT ME: Brave Warriors captain and record caps-holder Ronald Ketjijere, who will retire after the tournament, is also a qualified lawyer.
AFCON BEST: Group stage (1998, 2008)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Namibia are up against it in this group, particularly with Ivory Coast and Morocco. South Africa are always tough too.
“If they manage to get to the next stage it will be one of the surprises of the tournament.”
GROUP E
TUNISIA (nicknamed the Eagles of Carthage)
BOSS: Alain Giresse. One quarter of the French Magic Square midfield at Euro 84, the 66-year-old has also bossed Paris Saint-Germain, Senegal and Mali a couple of times.
STAR: Youssef Msakni. The forward, who is married to gorgeous Tunisian actress and model Amira Jaziri, missed the Russia World Cup through injury.
PREM INTEREST: None anymore, but Saint-Etienne forward Wahbi Khazri played for Sunderland in their final Premier League campaign.
FACT ME: Boss Giresse replaced Faouzi Benzarti, who was sacked in October after just three months in charge, despite winning all three of his games and sealing AFCON qualification.
AFCON BEST: Winners (2004)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “They gave England a scare last summer and every time I’ve seen Tunisia in tournament football, they’re always well-organised.
“They’re not the most athletic, they always seem to lack a bit of pace, but they have a bit of nous. Again, playing in North Africa, they’ll know the conditions and that will be a distinct advantage.
“They’ve always been a team that don’t concede and defend well with a very disciplined, flat-back four.”
MALI (nicknamed the Eagles)
BOSS: Mohamed Magassouba. The Malian has been in caretaker charge since Alain Giresse left two years ago – and has fallen out with keeper Mamadou Samassa over alleged broken promises.
STAR: Moussa Marega. The forward, 28, has a goal-to-game ratio of almost one in two for Porto – yet has hit only two goals in 20 matches for his country. Namesake Moussa Djenepo is set to join Southampton for £14m.
PREM INTEREST: Brighton’s Yves Bissouma has pulled out due to shoulder surgery, while ex-Newcastle left-back Massadio Haidara could line up at left-back.
FACT ME: Mali have never played England.
AFCON BEST: Runners-up (1972)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “It’s a real blow about Bissouma. My son Liam works with him at Brighton and says he’s going to be a real player.
“Ever since the days of Seydou Keita at Barcelona, they’ve always had a bit of quality and they’re in a good group. They’ll definitely be in the last 16 and after then anything I can happen.”
MAURITANIA (nicknamed the Lions of Chinguetti)
BOSS: Corentin Martins. A student of the legendary Guy Roux at Auxerre, Martins is coming up to half a decade in charge of AFCON debutants Mauritania.
STAR: Hacen El Ide. The midfielder, 21, has scored six goals in 35 international appearances and is on the books at La Liga outfit Valladolid.
PREM INTEREST: None whatsoever, unless any scouts are watching.
FACT ME: Boss Martins made 14 appearances for France in the mid nineties – but his long-term international ambitions were cut short by the emergence of a certain Zinedine Zidane.
AFCON BEST: Making their debut this year
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “The manager has been there for five years which you don’t often get in African football. He’s grown with the team.
“They’re ranked 101 so it’s an amazing achievement that they’ve qualified. That’s why I like that the tournament has been extended to 24 teams as it will give nations like Mauritania vital experience of playing tournament football. No matter what happens, it’s all positive for them.”
ANGOLA (nicknamed the Sable Antelopes)
BOSS: Srdan Vasiljevic. A Serb defender who came through at Red Star Belgrade, played for Dinamo Bucharest in Romania and held a few smaller managerial jobs before taking the Angola reins in 2017.
STAR: Bastos Quissanga. Lazio defender, 28, who came off injured in the Coppa Italia final last month but still came away with his first medal as Simone Inzaghi’s side beat Atalanta.
PREM INTEREST: None, and not even any English ties either as Igor Vetekele, who has just left Charlton, has not been included in Vasiljevic’s squad.
FACT ME: Manucho, one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most unlikely signings at Manchester United, is still playing aged 36 for Spanish lower league side Cornella, but does not make Angola’s squad.
AFCON BEST: Quarter-finals (2008, 2010)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “I don’t feel they have enough quality going forward.
“The days where Angola were challenging, which weren’t long ago, are gone and I think they’ll find it difficult to get out of the group.”
GROUP F
CAMEROON (the Indomitable Lions)
BOSS: Clarence Seedorf. Still the only player to win the Champions League at three different clubs, the Dutchman is taking his first stab at international management after three unconvincing club spells.
STAR: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. The ex-Stoke striker may not be in Samuel Eto’o’s class, but he does play for a top-level club having made a shock switch to Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
PREM INTEREST: Left-back Gaetan Bong recently signed a new one-year contract at Brighton, while Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa could not prevent Fulham’s relegation despite his £30m fee.
FACT ME: Cameroon were to host the tournament but were stripped of that right in November due to delays in infrastructure delivery, the insurgency of jihadis Boko Haram and the Anglophone Crisis.
AFCON BEST: Winners (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Clarence was a wonderful player. But what I find with Dutch coaches, especially those that have come through the Ajax system, is that they expect their teams to play exactly the same way.
“It’s very difficult for their players, in terms of the expectations with possession, and they often can’t do it to the level the manager wants.
“It has to be a mix of the European way with the African way, where teams play with a bit of freedom and abandon. For Cameroon, it’s playing to the beat of the drum, with that rhythm.
“That’s what I think has been a weakness in the appointments they’ve made.”
GHANA (nicknamed the Black Stars)
BOSS: Akwasi Appiah. Succeeded Avram Grant for his latest spell as Black Stars chief, Appiah has previously travelled to Manchester City and Liverpool for training tips.
STAR: Thomas Partey. The Atletico Madrid midfielder has been accused of performing better for his club side than his country, but Partey remains one of Ghana’s key players.
PREM INTEREST: Toon fans will be keen to see Christian Atsu’s progress while Jordan Ayew, who spent this season on loan at Crystal Palace, is also in the squad.
FACT ME: Ex-Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Coventry midfielder George Boateng is on Ghana’s staff as a scout.
AFCON BEST: Winners (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “When I last saw Asamoah Gyan a few years ago I thought his best days were behind him, so the fact he is in now suggests they may be struggling up front.
“Sticking the ball in the back of the net has always been a bit of a problem for them, even when Gyan was in his pomp.
“The heady heights of the Michael Essien days are gone. They’re not the same side but in saying that I expect them to qualify because they’re in a weak group.”
BENIN (nicknamed the Squirrels)
BOSS: Michel Dussuyer. A French former goalkeeper who is onto his second spell as Benin boss, having already managed Guinea THREE times and the Ivory Coast.
STAR: Stephane Sessegnon. Still going strong at 35, the ex-Sunderland and West Brom playmaker is now playing his club football in Turkey with Genclerbirligi.
PREM INTEREST: Steve Mounie, who managed just two Premier League goals for doomed Huddersfield this season, will lead the line.
FACT ME: Captain Sessegnon is the cousin of Fulham twins Ryan and Steven Sessegnon.
AFCON BEST: Group stage (2004, 2008, 2010)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “They have a bit of talent. I’ll be interested to see where Sessegnon plays.
“Mounie is big and powerful but did lack quality in the Premier League. Maybe the Championship is his level.
“They have to play to their strengths and get the ball up to him but I think they’ll struggle in this group.”
GUINEA-BISSAU (the African Wild Dog)
BOSS: Baciro Cande. A defender in the Portguese lower leagues in his playing days, he has largely managed in Guinea-Bissau club football before his two long stints as national team coach.
STAR: Zezinho. Guinea-Bissau’s captain began life at Sporting Lisbon before a spell in Greece and now plays for Slovakian outfit Senica.
PREM INTEREST: Marcelo Djalo is on Fulham’s books, though he spent most of last season on loan in Spain with Extremadura, while midfielder Pele turns out for Nottingham Forest.
FACT ME: For most of their footballing history, Guinea-Bissau was considered part of Portugal, meaning their all-time top scorer has only six goals.
AFCON BEST: Group stage (2017)
LEROY'S LOWDOWN: “Because it’s 24 teams, we know there is going to be a shock.
“There are one of those teams, along with Benin, that the first game is key to try to get the ball rolling.
“Being an unknown quantity can be a strength. You can surprise teams and that’s what Guinea-Bissau will be hoping to achieve.”
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