Sports, especially football, has a way of turning ordinary enthusiasts into experts, who believe they can predict what would happen even before the first ball is kicked. As it has always been at such major championships such as the FIFA World Cup and the European Championship, the African Cup of Nations holding in Cote d’Ivoire has birthed many pundits, who believe they know the team to beat at the continent’s most followed competition.

But it is not as easy as they say. However, some of African football’s living legends have joined the debate on the most suited country to lift the trophy on February 11 in Cote d’Ivoire, with many sticking to their home countries’ teams as favourites for the crown.

There are also those, who looked beyond their countries to pick the teams, which in their estimation; have qualities required to be African champions.

Beginning from today, January 13, to February 11, the world’s football lovers’ attention will be focused on Cote d’Ivoire, venue of the 34^th edition of Africa’s biggest competition. The tournament was originally scheduled for the summer of 2023, but adverse weather conditions in Cote d’Ivoire forced its postponement.

As it is always the case, the competition has drawn pundits’ attention, with experts, including former stars of the game raising their hat for their favourite teams.

In all, these analysts believe that the trophy would be won by any of nine countries, including hosts, Cote d’Ivoire, 2022 World Cup semifinalists, Morocco, cup holders, Senegal, perennial favourites, Nigeria, Cameroun, Algeria, Egypt, Ghana and Tunisia. The reasons for choosing the expected winner of the championship differ among the pundits.

Morocco is among the favourites to win the trophy in Cote d’Ivoire

Top on the list of favourites to win the championship, according to former Cote d’Ivoire striker, Arouna Kone, are the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Cameroun’s Indomitable Lions. Kone also believes that defending champions, Senegal and Morocco, as well as the hosts, Cote d’Ivoire, have what it takes to win the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles will be gunning for their fourth AFCON title after winning it in 1980, 1994 and 2013.

“I would say, at first glance, Cote d’Ivoire. I’m not saying it because I’m Ivoirian. But I say it because we have quality in our team,” the former Everton player stated.

“Next to Cote d’Ivoire, there are the Lions of Téranga, reigning champions and the Atlas Lions of Morocco, who had an exceptional performance during the World Cup in Qatar.

“After those, there are the natural favourites who will have their say. I want to talk about Cameroun, Nigeria, and Ghana without forgetting Egypt with seven continental titles,” Kone stated.

Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi, shares a similar view, predicting that Nigeria will win this year’s AFCON.

Mikel also tipped African Footballer of the Year, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen to finish as the tournament’s best player.

“Nigeria will win the 2023 AFCON and Victor Osimhen will win player of the tournament,” Mikel said in an interview with CNN World Sport.

“He (Victor Osimhen) is on fire. For me, he looks a little bit like Didier Drogba; he scores goals, he holds up play—a strong, young, and energetic striker.

“When it comes to the striking department, I think right now we are blessed. We are blessed with a lot of players there. (Taiwo) Awoniyi is doing well for Nottingham Forest and also for the national team. We also have Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen, who is doing really well. So, we are quite blessed when it comes to striking force. But we just have to fix some little issues with the defence and goalkeeping. I think if we can be able to do that, we’ve got a very good chance,” Mikel stated.

Incidentally, Awoniyi and Boniface have been knocked out of the competition by injury.

Algerian legend, Rabar Madjer, who won the title on home ground in 1990, beating the Super Eagles to the trophy, said it would be difficult to predict the outright winner because the calibre of teams featuring in the competition.

Speaking with CAFOnline.com, Madjer, the 1987 African Footballer of the Year award, said the difficulty stemmed from the fact that the continent’s best football teams are competing.

He said: “I am highly confident about the quality of the competition because the strongest teams in the continent are all present and by default this makes it a tough competition. The participating sides will all be vying for glory, and I expect them to raise the bar to ensure that the tournament is captivating. With just a few days remaining before the kickoff, the expectation for a high level of performance is set with top players from across the globe playing in it.

“Predicting standout teams is a challenging task, given the diverse pool of formidable contenders. Some teams will obviously be aiming to go far in the continental competition, while others enter the competition with the sole aim of clinching the coveted title. Naming a specific team as the favourite is extremely challenging, especially with giants like the host nation, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, and Nigeria participating in the finals.”

Senegal’s Captain, Sadio Mane, predicts that Cote d’Ivoire 2024 will be tougher than the previous editions, saying that any of the big teams can win the trophy.

Senegal are pitted in what many have deemed as the group of death, where they will be up against Cameroon, Guinea and The Gambia in Group C.

Mane said the team was expecting a difficult competition as all the big African nations had qualified for the Cote d’Ivoire edition and would all be aiming to do well.

“We know it won’t be easy, but we will be there to do our best and try to go through every round. We are expecting a tough competition. This competition will be one of the strongest since I started playing in it because all the big countries are here and they all have their targets, but we will see what will happen,” Mane said.

Senegal kick off their title defence against The Gambia on January 15 before the ultimate clash of the Lions when they face the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun three days later.

They conclude their Group C campaign against Guinea on January 23.

The AFCON 2024 matches will hold in six different stadiums across Cote d’Ivoire. The locations include Abidjan, Bouake, Korhogo, San Pedro and Yamoussukoro. The tournament draw took place in October 2023, splitting the teams into six groups.

Many fans in Europe and other parts of the globe watch AFCON due to the number of African stars, who ply their football trade in the English Premiership and other top leagues in the world participating in the tournament.

The talent on the field also guarantees viewers for broadcasters in Africa and across the globe.

According to BeIn Sport, the AFCON 2019 final between Senegal and Algeria reached record-breaking figures, with over 90 million people tuning in to the Middle East-based broadcaster.

BBC football commentator, Mark Scott, said: “I think that certainly, in terms of the interest in England, it’s been getting bigger and bigger, and that is because so many Premier League stars are now participating. And we’ve had an influx of so many good African talents into the English top division. Just looking at the scenes from the last AFCON, how much it just dominated the landscape, not just in the host countries, but also in all African countries. It’s such a massive deal. And I think that you look at the teams that are on show, and it’s such a tough one to call who wins the tournament.”

The pressure Is on for all the 24 countries taking part in this year’s AFCON. Will Senegal retain the title and lift the trophy for the third time, or are we going to see a new team crowned the African Cup of Nations on February 11?

Here are nine favourites picked by The Guardian for the AFCON title in Cote d’Ivoire:

I. Senegal

The Lions of Teranga, led by Mane, are the current title holders. They won the title in 2021 by outscoring the Pharaohs of Egypt in a penalty shootout in the final. Their squad has since been emboldened by an influx of youth, and their performance at Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup should inspire confidence ahead of their title defence in Cote d’Ivoire.

Though, some sports analysts believe that Senegal’s play-maker, Mane’s indifferent form since departing his English club, Liverpool, is a cause for concern heading into the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, there are others who see the emerging talents, like Chelsea’s Nicholas Jackson, as the fillip Mane needs to recover his best form.

2. Morocco

The Atlas Lions of Morocco became the first African nation to reach a senior World Cup semifinal in 2022 in Qatar. Their best performance was at the 1976 edition, which they won. At the last edition, the Atlas Lions were eliminated in the last 16.

Their poor performance at Cameroon 2021 notwithstanding, analysts believe it is difficult to overlook the World Cup history makers when it comes to the AFCON favourites.

Morocco is vying to win their first AFCON title since 1976. With Walid Regragui still at the helm, and their squad nearly identical from their Qatari heroics, the Atlas Lions are surely poised for a deep run in Cote d’Ivoire.

Morocco are in Group F to face the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania.

3. Egypt

The Pharaohs of Egypt are the most successful nation at the AFCON, winning the tournament a record seven times in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

It Is argued that the Pharaohs of Egypt, who are the runners-up, have not lived up to the fans’ expectations since the arrival of Mohammed Salah. This is, because, all of their success arrived in a pre-Salah era. This year’s AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire might well be Salah’s last before the Liverpool superstar made his international bow.

The Pharaohs have twice been beaten in the final since Salah’s emergence. And twice in 2021, Salah and the gang lost to Senegal, first in the AFCON final in Cameroun, and the final race to Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Once again, all eyes will be on their legendary forward, Salah, who has had significant success with Liverpool since joining in 2017.

Mo Salah, known as ‘The Egyptian King’, is widely regarded as the best African footballer of all time. He carries the burden of Egypt firmly on his shoulders, and he is a cut above many of his compatriots in terms of his ability. He is one of the best players in the world. And with that, going into a tournament, there’s so much focus and attention on him.

The North African giants seem to put behind the disappointment of 2021, and Salah’s presence once again puts them among the favourites to win this year’s AFCON title. Some sports analysts are of the opinion that the Pharaohs are perhaps more reliant on one individual compared to any other of their main rivals for the title.

The Pharaohs secured victory in three consecutive tournaments from 2006 to 2010.

They will kick off their campaign in Group B against Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mozambique.

4. Nigeria

No team going for this year’s AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire can boast more attacking firepower than the Super Eagles of Nigeria, who won the title in 1980, 1994 and 2013.

At the last edition, the Super Eagles failed to get to the quarterfinal stage, losing to Tunisia in the round of 16 in Garoau. The team also could not qualify for the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar, losing the ticket to the Black Stars of Ghana on home soil.

Cote d’Ivoire defeated Ghana 9-8 on penalties to win the 2015 edition

However, analysts are of the opinion that the team heading to Cote d’Ivoire is different from that led by Austin Eguavoen at Cameroun 2021. With the current African Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Terem Moffi, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze the battle of Cote d’Ivoire might be different.

To such sports analysts, this array of talents renders the Super Eagles a distinct threat to other big teams at the tournament.

On the other hand, the Super Eagles have disappointed at major tournaments since their last AFCON triumph at South Africa 2013. Some have also called into question the competence of manager Jose Peseiro, who managed to win just one of their last five matches.

The Super Eagles are paired with the host nation, Cote d’Ivoire in Group A, alongside Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

5. Cote d’Ivoire

The power of being the host, coupled with the ability of some of the players has put Cote d’Ivoire as among the favourites to go for the title they won in 1992 and 2015. At the last edition, they were eliminated in the round of 16.

The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire may no longer possess superstars such as Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, but sports analysts believe they still have the materials to win the title this year. And their home advantage will spearhead a successful campaign.

The Elephants are in the same group with Super Eagles of Nigeria, a team that ended their campaign at South Africa 2013 in what has gone into history books as the battle of Rustenburg.

The Elephants have not progressed beyond the quarterfinals since winning the competition for a second time in 2015.

However, some sports analysts believe that this Elephants squad is as balanced as it has been in a while.

With emerging stars such as Simon Adingra, Ousmane Diomande, and Odilon Kossounou, who are expected to complement Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller’s experience, the Elephants might just spring a great surprise on home soil.

The Elephants will be expected to progress alongside the Super Eagles from Group A, but going by the unpredictable nature of modern African football, it will be an intriguing battle for top spot.

6. Algeria

The Desert Foxes of Algeria won’t be push overs as far as the race to the AFCON title in Cote d’Ivoire is concerned.

Algeria defeated the Super Eagles in the semifinal at Egypt 2019, and went on to lift the title, beating Senegal in the final. But they couldn’t repeat such form at the last edition held in Cameroun in 2021.

However, former Manchester City and Al-Ahli forward, Riyad Mahrez, is still a formidable player in the squad, and is probably one of the most prominent players taking part in this year’s AFCON.

Some sports analysts believe that the Algerians can pull another surprise in Cote d’Ivoire to cap Mahrez as one of the players to win the AFCON title twice.

Algeria will face Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Angola in Group D.

7. Tunisia

The Carthage Eagles of Tunisia stopped the Super Eagles in the round of 16 at the last edition of the AFCON held in Cameroun. That battle of Garoua, in northern Cameroun, is still fresh in memories of many African football fans.

Tunisia are in Group E, with Mali, South Africa, and Namibia. Some analysts are of the opinion that the battle for qualification from the group will be between Tunisia and Bafana Bafana of South Africa. If the Tunisians get their act right from the group stage of the tournament, they could pull a surprise. No doubt, Tunisia is one of the favourites to do well in the tournament.

8. Cameroun

Continental heavyweights, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun have five Nations Cup titles to their name. They had to settle for third place on home soil when the country hosted the AFCON in 2021.

Despite being drawn with holders, Senegal, anything short of success might not go down well with Indomitable Lions supporters.

In 1984 when Cote d’Ivoire hosted the tournament, Cameroun won it for the first time in Abidjan. The Indomitable Lions have beaten the Super Eagles three times in the final, including their victory in the 2000 final in Lagos, when Ghana and Nigeria co-hosted the tournament.

Their poor performances during the 2021 finals elicited mixed reactions. While there was praise for the team’s resilience, the disappointment was pervasive after a semi-final defeat by Egypt on penalties.

Now, observers are worried over coach Rigobert Song’s lack of a settled starting XI, after he used 10 different line ups in the past ten games, making it very difficult for Camerounians to read the team and its true capacity.

With goalkeeper Andre Onana enduring dips in form at Manchester United, and doubts over the fitness of forward Bryan Mbeumo, the Lions may already be wounded ahead of their opener against Guinea.

But some sports analysts believe that as true Lions, Cameroun can prove bookmakers wrong in Cote d’Ivoire.

9. Ghana

Big expectations are also an issue for the Black Stars of Ghana. The fans are raising concern at the form of the Black Stars, who have not reached the last eight of a Nations Cup since 2017.

Ghana were eliminated in the last 16 at Egypt 2019, and were winless and failed to advance from the group stage at Cameroun 2021.

The challenges the team faced were evident in qualifying, as it lacked cohesion, the technical team looked unsettled with changes in selection, and fan apathy was telling after repeated poor performances.

The Black Stars eliminated the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the final lap for Qatar 2022 World Cup, but they have struggled in the first half of all games managed by Chris Hughton so far – with just one of their nine goals scored under him coming in the first 45 minutes.

After needing a last-minute winner to beat Madagascar in World Cup qualifying, and falling to beat Comoros, some Ghanaian fans think ‘nothing is guaranteed’ for Ghana in this year’s AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.

However, some of their fans are hoping that the Black Stars rediscover their form in the tournament, at least, to qualify for the quarter-finals, which would be a major success.

Will Hughton and his technical crew find a consistent starting XI for the Black Stars to shine and put smile on faces of Ghanaian fans when hostilities begin in Cote d’Ivoire? (The Guardian)

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