The Africa Cup of Nations is only a few months away. All the attention will be on the biggest nations as they look to win the 2022 tournament. For some of Europe’s biggest clubs, they will be without some of the biggest stars over the hectic winter period. Many managers are reconsidering their chances of ending the season with the silverware that they crave. So, which players in the African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) tournament are also top players from Europe?
Africa’s Top Stars in Europe
There are many African stars representing their countries across January and February. We will examine some of the players that will be playing in the Africa Cup of Nations in early 2022. We will assess whether they will be able to end the competition by winning the prestigious honor.
Mohamed Salah
It would be hard to start elsewhere when looking at the best African players. Mohamed Salah is considered by Jurgen Klopp to be the best player on the planet at present. He has already scored 16 goals in 15 games in all competitions for Liverpool. Egypt will be hoping for much better in the competition next year, as they limped out in the 2019 event. They should at least have a good chance of making it out of their group. They've drawn alongside Nigeria, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau. However, they will be keen to avoid an early exit like they did in the last edition.
Victor Osimhen
Egypt may have one of the top African players in the world but Nigeria is no slouch either. The Nigerian squad is brimming with some of the best African players in Europe. Napoli's duo of Victor Osimhen and Kalidou Koulibaly are expected to have a great tournament. Their play in Europe this season has propelled Nigeria's expectations through the roof. Even the online sportsbooks of France see Nigeria as favorites to win the famous trophy in February. Osimhen moved to Napoli in 2020 for a club-record fee of £70 million. He has started the 2021-22 season in excellent form by scoring nine goals in 12 games in all competitions. That form will be integral to Nigeria’s chances at AFCON 2022.
Karl Toko Ekambi
Cameroon will have home advantage for the competition this winter. They also have a very good chance of going far in the tournament. They were drawn in Group A alongside Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Cape Verde. Karl Toko Ekambi is hoping to extend his excellence to international competition. He moved back to France in 2020 after spending two years with Villarreal. Since returning he has immediately hit the ground running. The Cameroonian has scored ten goals in 16 games so far this season. He previously had success in AFCON with Cameroon, as he was an important player when they won in 2017.
Kamaldeen Sulemana
One of the top Ghanaians playing in France this season is Kamaldeen Sulemana. He has immediately become an integral player for Rennes in his first season with the Ligue 1 club. His form at the start of the season has been very strong. He has played his part for the club that currently sits fifth in the top-tier of the French league.
Sulemana has already scored four goals in ten games in Ligue 1, and has scored once from three in Europe. Ghana will still be among the leading chances to win the AFCON this year. If they can navigate past the group stage. Fans will be hoping that Ghana football news is positive over the winter.
Riyad Mahrez
French Born Riyad Mahrez is looking to lead Algeria to a second straight AFCON victory. The 30-year-old has been one of the most important players in Manchester City's recent seasons. He has won two Premier League titles in three years with the club. His form this season has already been strong, as he has scored eight goals in 15 in all competitions. Algeria will be very confident of getting out of Group E, as their main rivals with be the Ivory Coast. Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea round off the group. Mahrez’s form could be important over the month-long tournament for Algeria. If he is at the top of his game, then the defending champions could be a very hard team to beat.