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Nelson Mandela - Sport pays tribute to former South Africa president

Mandela has been described as the architect of the 2010 World Cup by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, and the head of the football world governing body was correct. 

"You are the true architect of this FIFA World Cup; your presence and commitment made it happen. Now the first African FIFA World Cup is reality," explained Blatter while handing over the trophy to Mandela at a press conference in 2010.

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7 Dec 2013
Club International Player Stars in Europe
stars in Europe - Swansea's Wilfried Bony inspired by Drogba's success at Chelsea

New Swansea City signing Wilfried Bony believes he can emulate Ivory Coast compatriot Didier Drogba's goal-scoring exploits in the Premier League.

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12 Jul 2013
Stars in Europe Talents
CAMEROON - STARS IN EUROPE - ETO’O INAUGURATES HIS FOOTBALL ACADEMY IN GABON

The Anzhi star was accompanied by former team mates at Barcelona Victor Valdes and Xavi Hernandez in Gabon to launch his youth football training centre. - Eto'o football foundation -

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29 May 2012
Africa Cup 2022 CAF Featured

Africa Cup 2022 • TEAMS + FACTS

AFRICA CUP 2022

Group A GROUP B GROUP C GROUP D GROUP E GROUP F

 

TEAMS + FACTS

 

 
 
Vincent Aboubakar scored the winner against Egypt as Cameroon won the Nations Cup in 2017.
 
Appearance: 20th
Best finish: Winners (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)
Coach: Antonio Conceicao
Captain: Vincent Aboubakar
Fifa ranking: 50
Nickname: Indomitable Lions
 
 
 
Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore returned for club side Aston Villa on 26 December 2021 after over two months out injured.
 
Appearance: 12th
Best finish: Runners-up (2013)
Coach: Kamou Malo
Captain: Issoufou Dayo
Fifa ranking: 60
Nickname: The Stallions
 
 
 
Ethiopia have qualified for the Nations Cup for the first time since 2013.
 
Appearance: 11th
Best finish: Winners (1962)
Coach: Wubetu Abate
Captain: Getaneh Kebede
Fifa ranking: 137
Nickname: Walia Ibex
 
 
 
Cape Verde last appeared at the Nations Cup in 2015.
 
Appearance: Third
Best finish: Quarter-finals (2013)
Coach: Bubista
Captain: Ryan Mendes
Fifa ranking: 73
Nickname: Blue Sharks
 
+++
 
 
 
Liverpool forward Sadio Mane provides a threat up front for Senegal, runners-up in the last Nations Cup.
 
Appearance: 16th
Best finish: Runners-up (2002 and 2019)
Coach: Aliou Cisse
Captain: Kalidou Koulibaly
Fifa ranking: 20
Nickname: Lions of Teranga
 
 
 
Al Tai and Zimbabwe striker Knowledge Musona captains a side hit by injuries and FA chaos.
 
Appearance: 5th
Best finish: Group stage (2004, 2006, 2017, 2019)
Coach: Norman Mapeza
Captain: Knowledge Musona
Fifa ranking: 121
Nickname: The Warriors
 
 
 
Naby Keita came up against Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane when Guinea faced Senegal on 14 January 2022.
 
Appearance: 13th
Best finish: Runners-up (1976)
Coach: Kaba Diawara
Captain: Naby Keita
Fifa ranking: 81
Nickname: Syli National
 
 
 
Malawi defender Charles Petro plays for Moldova's Sheriff Tiraspol.
 
Appearance: Third
Best finish: Group stage (1984, 2010)
Head of technical panel: Mario Marinica
Captain: John Banda
Fifa ranking: 129
Nickname: The Flames
 
+++
 
 
 
Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Romain Saiss will be looking to improve on a last-16 exit in 2019.
 
Appearance: 18th
Best finish: Winners (1976)
Coach: Vahid Halilhodzic
Captain: Romain Saiss
Fifa ranking: 28
Nickname: Atlas Lions
 
 
 
Andre Ayew, now playing in Qatar, was Ghana's top scorer in World Cup qualifying with three goals.
 
Appearance: 23rd
Best finish: Winners (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)
Coach: Milovan Rajevac
Captain: Andre Ayew
Fifa ranking: 52
Nickname: Black Stars
 
 
 
Moussa Djoumoi scored for Comoros in qualifying for the Arab Cup, but the side were eliminated after a 5:1 defeat by Palestine.
 
Appearance: Debutants
Best finish: n/a
Coach: Amir Abdou
Captain: Nadjim Abdou
Fifa ranking: 132
Nickname: The Coelacanths
 
 
 
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will look to rediscover his form with Gabon after being dropped by Arsenal and stripped of the club captaincy in December 2021.
 
Appearance: Eighth
Best finish: Quarter-finalists (1996 and 2012)
Coach: Patrice Neveu
Captain: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Fifa ranking: 89
Nickname: The Panthers
 
+++
 
 
 
Odion Igahlo was top scorer at the 2019 Nations Cup with five goals, and came out of international retirement in November 2021.
 
Africa Cup Appearance: 19th
Best finish: Winners (1980, 1994, 2013)
Interim coach: Augustine Eguavoen
Captain: Ahmed Musa
Fifa ranking: 36
Nickname: Super Eagles
 
 
 
Egypt captain Mohamed Salah has scored four goals at the Nations Cup.
 
Africa Cup Appearance: 25th
Best finish: Winners (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)
Coach: Carlos Queiroz
Captain: Mohamed Salah
Fifa ranking: 45
Nickname: The Pharaohs
 
 
 
Sudan lost all their group games at the Arab Cup, leading to the dismissal of coach Hubert Velud.
 
Appearance: Ninth
Best finish: Winners (1970)
Interim coach: Burhan Tia
Captain: Salaheldin Nemer
Fifa ranking: 125
Nickname: Saqur al-Jidyan (Secretary Birds)
 
 
 
Guinea-Bissau only took a point from three group games against Cameroon, Benin and Ghana at the 2019 Nations Cup.
 
Appearance: Third
Best finish: Group stage (2017 and 2019)
Coach: Baciro Cande
Captain: Bura
Fifa ranking: 106
Nickname: Djurtus (Wild Dogs)
 
+++
 
 
 
Algeria are set to defend their Africa Cup of Nations title, which they won in 2019 by beating Senegal 1:0 in the final. Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez captained Algeria to their second Nations Cup triumph three years ago.
 
Appearance: 19th
Best finish: Winners (1990 and 2019)
Coach: Djamel Belmadi
Captain: Riyad Mahrez
Fifa ranking: 29
Nickname: Desert Foxes
 
 
 
Veteran striker Kei Kamara scored the goal which secured Sierra Leone's qualification for the Nations Cup.
 
Appearance: Third
Best finish: Group stage (1994 and 1996)
Coach: John Keister
Captain: Umaru Bangura
Fifa ranking: 108
Nickname: Leone Stars
 
 
 
Former Mallorca, Middlesbrough and Birmingham City player Emilio Nsue featured when Equatorial Guinea hosted the Nations Cup in 2015.
 
Appearance: Third
Best finish: Fourth place (2015)
Coach: Juan Micha
Captain: Emilio Nsue
Fifa ranking: 114
Nickname: Nzalang Nacional (National Thunder)
 
 
 
Ivory Coast skipper Serge Aurier joined Spanish side Villarreal in October 2021 after leaving Tottenham Hotspur.
 
Appearance: 24th
Best finish: Winners (1992 and 2015)
Coach: Patrice Beaumelle
Captain: Serge Aurier
Fifa ranking: 56
Nickname: The Elephants
 
+++
 
 
 
Farouk Ben Mustapha captained Tunisia to the final of the Arab Cup, where they were beaten 2:0 by Algeria after extra-time.
 
Appearance: 20th
Best finish: Winners (2004)
Coach: Mondher Kebaier
Captain: Wahbi Khazri
Fifa ranking: 30
Nickname: Carthage Eagles
 
 
 
Mali went unbeaten in 2022 World Cup qualifying to reach Africa's play-offs for the tournament in Qatar.
 
Appearance: 12th
Best finish: Runners-up (1972)
Coach: Mohamed Magassouba
Captain: Hamari Traore
Fifa ranking: 53
Nickname: The Eagles
 
 
 
Mauritania were beaten 5:1 by Nations Cup group opponents Tunisia at the Arab Cup in November.
 
Appearance: Second
Best finish: Group stage (2019)
Coach: Didier Gomes da Rosa
Captain: Abdoul Ba
Fifa ranking: 103
Nickname: Mourabitounes
 
 
 
Gambia boss Tom Saintfiet has coached national sides in four different Fifa confederations.
 
Appearance: Debutants
Best finish: n/a
Coach: Tom Saintfiet
Captain: Pa Modou Jagne
Fifa ranking: 150
Nickname: The Scorpions
 
 
 
 
 
15 Jan 2022
afrofootball bl

Related countries
Algeria Burkina Faso Cameroon Cape Verde Comoros Côte d'Ivoire Egypt Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Malawi Mali Mauritania Morocco Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Sudan Tunisia Zimbabwe

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