2021 Africa Cup of Nations
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The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations begins on the 9th of January and will be contested between the top African countries in Cameroon. In order to avoid a clash with many of the major leagues around the world, the tournament was due to be played in June and July but the climate was not favourable for football.
Some of the world’s greatest players will be participating in the tournament but which team will go all the way and lift the trophy?
Senegal are the favourites in many peoples eyes and they reached the final in 2019, only to be defeated 1-0 by Algeria. Senegal have been drawn in Group B, along with Zimbabwe, Guinea, and Malawi.
Senegal have been the top African side in FIFA's world rankings for some time and they have a great spine to the team, including Edouard Mendy in goal, captain Kalidou Koulibaly as the central defensive rock, Idrissa Gana Gueye to marshal the midfield and the explosive Sadio Mane in attack.
Senegal will be hoping Watford's Ismaila Sarr will join up with the squad as depth could be a bit of an issue but if they keep their key players fit, expect to see Senegal in the final.
Algeria were the team to defeat Senegal in the final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and they have been drawn in Group E along with Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and Equatorial Guinea.
The Algerians should have little trouble in progressing from that group and no one will want to meet them in the knockout stages, especially with their attacking talent.
The Desert Warriors have Riyad Mahrez, Said Benrahma, Ismael Bennacer, Soufiane Feghouli, and Adam Ounas in their ranks and will feel confident of retaining their title.
You must go back to 2010 to find the last time Egypt won the Africa Cup of Nations and they were eliminated by South Africa in the round of 16 in 2019. However, Egypt remain strongly fancied to do well in 2021 and that is in no small part due to the presence of Mohamed Salah.
The Liverpool forward is regarded by many as being the best player in the world right now and Egyptian fans will be hoping he can drag their team all the way to the final.
Mohamed El Neny and Trézéguet join Salah from the English Premier League but even winning the group could prove tough, with Nigeria also in Group D.
The Super Eagles have Kelechi Iheanacho, Ahmed Musa, Odion Ighalo, and Samuel Chukwueze among their attacking talent, with Wilfred Ndidi to control the central midfield.
However, Emmanuel Dennis and fellow striker Victor Osimhen have dropped out of Nigeria's squad and that comes as a big blow.
Some of the other contenders include Ivory Coast, Morocco, and the hosts, Cameroon. Morocco will have to make do without the creativity of Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech but have Paris Saint-Germain superstar Achraf Hakimi in their team.
Cameroon have Napoli's Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in midfield along with Bayern Munich's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in attack. Ivory Coast can call upon the in-form striker Sébastien Haller plus Wilfried Zaha, and Nicolas Pépé in an exciting forward line.
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