2023-10-14 12:15:27
It is expected that the Africa Cup of Nations in early 2024 in Ivory Coast will be, as usual, an arena for stars to shine and a golden opportunity to discover young talents. Attention is turning in particular to Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Nigerian Victor Osimhen and Moroccan Ashraf Hakimi, while rising talents in the strongest European leagues seek to prove themselves.
Published on: 14/10/2023 – 14:15
5 minutes
From Mohamed Salah, the number one star in Egypt, to Victor Osimhen, who is thirsty to push the Nigerian “Eagles” to soar high, to the talented Senegalese Nicholas Jackson, who is ready to roar with the “Lions of Teranga”, all eyes are on… Africa Cup of Nations Early 2024 in Ivory Coast to the stars of the African continent whose teams are counting on them to lift the cup, with expectations of the brilliance of rising talents who want to seize their place in the spotlight.
Salah… for his first international title
It is impossible to ignore Mohamed Salah, the English Liverpool striker, sometimes nicknamed “The Fourth Pyramid” and sometimes “The King of Egypt” in a country where he is revered. His left foot is the source of happiness for the “Pharaohs” team, and following he appeared at a timid level with the “Reds” last season, the 31-year-old Egyptian striker returned to shine once more this season by scoring 5 goals and passing 4 balls in 8 matches in the English Premier League, and that was three years ago. Months from the start of the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations.
Mane to prove Senegal’s superiority
Sadio Mane, the best player in Senegal’s history, will take over the leadership of the “Lions of Teranga” team, two years following they won their first continental title in Cameroon. The “explosive” Mane returned with Liverpool alongside Salah, before his level declined last season following moving to Bayern Munich, to shine once more and score the net with Al-Nassr, the Saudi club that signed him at the beginning of the current season, and he will try to lead his country to a historic double.
Ousimhan…the goal machine
The Nigerian striker is shining with Napoli, the Italian League champion, unleashing statistics: he scored 6 goals in 10 matches this season, and 31 goals in 38 matches last season.
He also did not skimp on his goals with the Super Eagles, as he scored 10 goals in the African continent in 6 matches during the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, including 7 once morest the humble team of Sao Tome and Principe. Surrounded by a fleet of players with attacking genes, including the dazzling Taiwo Awonyi and Victor Boniface, who is brilliant this season with German Bayer Leverkusen, Osimhen will try to return his country to the top of Africa, 11 years following its last continental coronation.
Achraf Hakimi to prove the worth of the “Atlas Lions”
The right-back of Paris Saint-Germain has been impressing the team since the beginning of the current season, playing every minute and scoring goals under the leadership of newcomer Spanish coach Luis Enrique, despite the instability of the Parisian club’s results.
The Moroccan player will undoubtedly be one of the pillars and elements of the “Atlas Lions” team, the candidate following surprisingly reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar last year, while seeking to win the African continental title for the second time in its history, following 48 years of fasting.
Read also: Draw for the 2023 African Cup of Nations: Equal groups seem within the reach of the Arab teams
Onana returns to the untamed lions
Andre Onana, Manchester United’s English goalkeeper, closed the door on his country’s national team at the end of December 2022, following a dispute with its coach Rigobert Song. But the 27-year-old Red Devils goalkeeper, who has been criticized this season, donned the gloves of the untamed lion once more in September, as part of a solid lineup that included attacking trio Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Karl Toko Ekambi and Vincent Abubakar.
Mahrez is looking for a new title
Right winger Riyad Mahrez brought joy to English Manchester City for more than five years, and he will continue to elude his opponents from the right side of the “Desert Warriors” attack, five years following winning his title with his country’s national team, celebrating it with his compatriots who breathe to the pulse of football.
The 32-year-old striker, who left the English stadiums this season to join the Saudi Al-Ahly team, remains one of the pillars of the Algerian national team that defeated Senegal, the defending champion, 1-0 in a friendly match on September 12.
Young talents in order to prove themselves
Young talents will have the opportunity to shine in the next edition of the African Nations, which is expected to be exciting in all possibilities. The Moroccan national team, which reached the semi-finals of the Qatar World Cup, is in a good position thanks to the emergence of French Marseille midfielder Azzedine Ounahi and Bayern Munich full-back Noussair Mazraoui, who imposed himself on the right flank with the German champions.
Ghana will highlight its young striker, Mohammed Quddus (23 years old), who moved this summer to English West Ham following promising years in the ranks of Ajax. Tunisia is also impatiently awaiting the emergence of Hannibal Mejbri (20 years old), the Manchester United midfielder, as he has not yet proven himself.
On the Senegal side, striker Nicholas Jackson, who is moving to Chelsea, is expected to shine this summer. While the Algerian national team will be able to rely on midfielder Houssem Aouar, who defends the Italian colors of Roma, while the Guinea national team will bet on the young “jewel” Alex Moriba, 20 years old, in the midfield.
France 24/AFP
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