AFCON: Kudus, Salah, Osimhen… Players to watch out for

Football fans all over Africa and the world are awaiting the chance to watch their players compete in the continental competition as national teams from all over Africa get ready for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Egypt is AFCON’s record winners having won the continental tournament seven times and Senegal is the reigning champion, and coming into the tournament, which gets underway on January 13, they are among the favourites thanks to their star-studded team but as there are other teams with elite talents besides the Lions of Teranga, the AFCON will once again looks unpredictable.

In this article, we’ll take a look at AFCON 2024 players to watch out for.

9. Andre Onana (Club: Manchester United, Nationality: Cameroon)

Despite announcing his retirement from international football after the 2022 AFCON, Onana has again been called up by Cameroon to be between the sticks for the indomitable lions in this years AFCON set to hold in Côte d’Ivoire.

However, currently in club side, Onana’s career at Manchester United has not exactly gotten off to a great start. He has had trouble staying consistent in his performances this season. It will be more than interesting to see Onana playing for a different team not Manchester United so it can be determined if his current consistent inconsistency is from Manchester United or that he is just out of form.

8. Serhou Guirassy (Club: VfB Stuttgart, Nationality: Guinea)

Guirassy has made a name for himself as one of the best strikers in European football in the few months since moving to Stuttgart. The Guinean striker is one of the players to watch at the AFCON because of his incredible numbers in the Bundesliga.

Stuttgart will be sad to lose the former France youth international when he makes his AFCON debut. With Senegal, Cameroon, and Gambia as opponents, Guinea is clearly the underdog in Group C, but the 27-year-old is playing at a level that could help his team overcome the disadvantage.

7. Patson Daka (Club: Leicester City, nationality: Zambia)

At the beginning of this season, Daka was out of favour at Leicester City who were demoted from the Premier League last season. However, he went on to score four goals and dish out two assists in six starts for Leicester, which helped put them comfortably atop the Championship and poised for an immediate return to the top division.

Daka is of Zambian nationality, the country that won the AFCON title in 2012 surprisingly, and he has scored five goals in his last three game for the Chipolopolo.

This is their first finals appearance since 2015, and they have not advanced past the group stages since winning the AFCON in 2012. However, in Daka, they have a striker who can cause problems for Tanzania, Morocco, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Group F.

6. Frank Anguissa (Club: Napoli, Nationality: Cameroon )

Frank Anguissa is his country’s talisman and the only Cameroonian on the 2023 CAF Team of the Year. Alongside Osimhen, he was a part of Napoli’s team that won their first Serie A championship since Diego Maradona led them to scudettos in 1987 and 1990.

Anguissa is a midfield enforcer for Napoli and Cameroon who is known for doing the grunt work and rarely making headlines and as one of the more seasoned members of the indomitable lions, he will be heavily depended upon as they attempt to win their sixth AFCON title.

5. Iñaki Williams (Club: Athletic Bilbao, Nationality: Ghana)

This month, Iñaki Williams, one of La Liga’s best players, will make his AFCON debut. Williams made his debut for Ghana in July 2022, to keep a promise he made to his grandfather.

The forward for Athletic Bilbao, who represented Spain at the U-21 level, has since made 12 appearances for the Black stars, including one during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

He is in excellent form at the club level and is expected to surpass his record of 12 La Liga goals from the 2018–19 campaign. Along with Antoine Semenyo, Mohammed Kudus, brothers Andre and Jordan Ayew, Williams provides the Black Stars, who are considered outsiders for the tournament, with genuine attacking power.

4. Mohammed Kudus (Club: West Ham United, Nationality: Ghana)

The versatile attacker can play anywhere along the forward line or in the middle of the pitch, and this makes him an essential part of the Black Stars’ team. The 24-year-old has excellent ball control, and an eye for game-winning passes. Since Thomas Partey is sidelined for the Chris Hughton’s team due to injury, Kudus will take centre stage as he attempts to connect with Inaki Williams and the brothers Jordan and Andre Ayew.

3. Sadio Mane (Club: Al-Nassr , Nationality: Senegal)

The Senegalese international will be hoping to lead his team to defend their AFCON title. Mane is without doubt one of the best strikers in the world right now and he have been outstanding for his new team Al-Nassr since he joined from Bayern Munich in August 2023.The Senegal captain will be on the spotlight again as the Lions of Teranga push to defend their AFCON 2022 title in Ivory Coast.

2. Victor Osimhen (Club: Napoli, Nationality: Nigeria)

Osimhen has continued to be in an outstanding goal-scoring form this season despite his tumultuous relationship with Napoli. The striker hopes to make his mark on AFCON this year after missing out in 2022. He will lead the super Eagles’ offensive as they attempt to win the championship for the first time since 2013, he will be an important player.

With 26 goals, the 24-year-old was a major factor in Napoli’s Serie A victory the last season and is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world.

With just 27 national team appearances under his belt, he already has 20 goals, and appears certain to break Rashidi Yekini’s record of 37 goals for the Super Eagles in near future.

1. Mohamed Salah (Club: Liverpool, Nationality: Egypt)

Mohamed Salah will be vengeful as Egypt looks to win an unprecedented eighth AFCON title and their first since 2010 in Ivory Coast this year. Salah was close to winning the tournament with The Pharaohs in both 2017 and 2022.

The Egyptian king will be keen to avoid a repeat and appears determined to add AFCON winners medal to his already impressive list of accolades.

Also read: All African players in EPL going for AFCON…see full list