GROUP A
IVORY COAST
(2 AFCON wins, last in 2015)
Three players – Serge Aurier, Eric Bailly and Max Gradel – who won the 2015 AFCON remain active with the national team and are likely to make the squad for this tournament.
It was the second time that the Ivorians had won the top prize in Africa, following their first success in1992, and ironically came after Didier Drogba had finished his international career. He was the pivot of a “golden generation” that went to three successive World Cups and came close to continental glory but was never able to deliver, before Yaya Toure captained the side to a dramatic penalty-shootout win over Ghana in the 2015 final.
There is much potential in their current squad and high hopes that come with hosting the tournament, although they will have to deal with amassive burden of expectation.
KEY PLAYER
Seko Fofana
Debuted in 2017 after switching allegiance from France, although his cap tally has only just passed into double figures. His presence is a massive boost.
THE COACH
Jean-Louis Gasset
A former assistant coach of France and also head coach at Montpellier, Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne. Took the Ivorian job in May 2022.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
(0 AFCON wins)
Ever more reliant on their Spanishborn contingent, Nzalang Nacional continue to punch above their weight by cleverly using the diaspora in their former colonial power, finding players to such an extent that they are unlikely to have more than one home-based player in their squad.
This will be their fourth Cup of Nations finals appearance. The first two were as hosts but they have now qualified through the preliminaries for two successive finals.
At the last AFCON in Cameroon, they pulled off one of the great shocks by eliminating defending champions Algeria in the groups, then knocked out Mali in the last16.
They won four out of six qualifiers for this edition to finish second behind continental giants Tunisia on head-to-head results only, further proof of their growing strength.
KEY PLAYER
Federico Bikoro
The Cameroonborn midfielder, nicknamed “Sisinio”, has been a consistent force for Equatorial Guinea. Recently moved to Club Africain in Tunisia.
THE COACH
Juan Micha
A former international forward who came through the coaching ranks at the federation, moving up from the junior and women’s teams.
GUINEA-BISSAU
(0 AFCON wins)
For one of Africa’s poorest countries, a fourth successive qualification for the Cup of Nations finals is an extraordinary achievement, on the back of consistency in the coaching department and picking players from Europe who have some sort of heritage with the West African nation.
Nicknamed (wild dogs), they are yet to win a game at the finals, drawing three and losing six of their nine previous matches at the 2017, 2019 and 2021 finals. But they are now
