Gabon will soon witness history as they host the 31st edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to begin from 14th January. Africa's main international football competition, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is held every two years and the winner eventually participates in the FIFA Confederations Cup.
The AFCON which began in 1957 with just 3 teams has rapidly expanded and 16 teams will be a part of it this year. They say that playing for your country is the greatest joy there is and we are certain that there will be some swashbuckling performances at an individual level.
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Here's a list of 5 players we believe will dominate AFCON:
#5 Idrissa Gueye
A name English Premier League fans will know, Idrissa Gueye joined Merseyside club Everton from Aston Villa and has settled well under Ronald Koeman. A defensive midfielder, Gueye is a brilliant tackler and passer which makes him the ideal player to field in the centre of the park.
The player averages 3.83 tackles won and 2.28 interceptions per game, both of which are statistics that show that the player is a master at defensive contributions. He has been a standout player for Everton and Senegal’s coach, Aliou Cisse will want similar performances from the player for the national team as well.
#4 Riyad Mahrez
Last season’s PFA’s Player of the Year, Riyad Mahrez is a dream player for any team to have on the wing. The player is a gifted dribbler and his silky skills can destroy even the best of defenders. Although Mahrez is struggling to recreate the magical performances of last year with Leicester City, he will continue to be one of best players in the tournament.
The Algerian fans will be counting on Mahrez and Yacine Brahimi to create terror on the wings for their opponents. Mahrez who was crowned the BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2016 will want to perform well again this season and get the award for the second time.
Despite having an average season, he has been involved in 10 goals for his club which emphasises on the fact that he is a capable footballer. The winger is the perfect player to have if the Algerians decide to adopt a counter-attacking gameplay.
#3 Mohamed Salah
Egyptian winger Mohammed Salah will be a crucial part of the national team squad, which is historically the most successful team in the competition having won it a whopping 7 times since it’s beginning in 1957. The player who had flopped massively in the Premier League with Chelsea has bounced back in Roma’s colours and has performed exceedingly well in the Serie A.
This season Salah has been involved in 13 goals for the Italian club. Awarded the ‘Best Arab player’ in 2016 at the Globe Soccer Awards, the player looks in divine form at the moment. His ability to beat defenders through sheer speed and his ability to create will be important for Egypt in the competition.
#2 Sadio Mane
Liverpool summer signing Sadio Mane will be representing his nation Senegal at AFCON. He will be eager to play for them after he missed some part of the competition when it was held back in 2015. The winger has had a great season for the Reds till now and has 8 goals and 4 assists to his name.
He will be hopeful of carrying his form over to the national team as well since he is an integral part of the Senegalese team. The winger is surely a prime contender for the Player of the tournament award and Senegal will be counting on Mane’s offensive prowess to help them go all the way in the tournament.
#1 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The Borrusia Dortmund player will captain the host team, Gabon and will be counting on the home support to put up a stellar show in the competition. The player was crowned 2015 African Footballer of the year after the player finished as the top scorer of Borussia Dortmund that season.
The Gabonese international will be hopeful that his team goes beyond the quarter-final stage which has been their best performance in the competition till now. The player leads the Bundesliga goalscorers charts currently with 16 goals. His frightening pace is sure to cause the opposition a lot of problems. Aubameyang has been instrumental for both his club and country which makes him the first player on our list.
