During the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, the planet soccer will be turned to the continental African competition to witness all the stars of world soccer playing for their national team. The competition was originally scheduled for 2021, but was delayed for a year due to the health crisis linked to the coronavirus.
Top Stars To Watch at AFCON 2022
At smartgeek, we wrote about 12 players who will certainly be key players of their national team during this African Cup of Nations. Certainly, each team present at the AFCON 2021 has its leader, and it was difficult to choose some stars.
Our selection of the best players for Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) 2022 was influenced by a number of factors: their status and role in the team, their international experience, and the number of titles they won or goals they scored. Obviously, we take into account not just the statistics and experience of the national team players, but also their club experience. The players on our list tend to have more attacking flair, as most goals and assists are important during games.
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
As a Nigerian, I’m going to cheat my way out of this by making Victor top of this list. Hahaha! A striker who is considered to be Napoli’s first choice is Victor Osimhen. He has been a crucial member of the team’s starting line-up and has been very effective. After a complicated start in Serie A last season due to repeated injuries, his role will be to put the ball in the back of the net for Nigeria at this year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Sadio Mané (Senegal)
As one of the finalists in the last edition, Sadio Mané will aim to make Senegal the top soccer nation in Africa. As a key member of the Liverpool and Cameroon squads, he has won numerous titles at both club and individual levels. This makes his inclusion in our list all the more natural.
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
In Algeria, it is Riyad Mahrez who should be the offensive and technical leader of the Fennecs. His record in England and in the national team speaks for itself. The attacking winger will try to lead his team to a new title after the one obtained in 2019.
Achraf Hakimi (Morrocco)
Achraf Hakimi has more to offer than just right backs as he was signed by PSG last summer. At club level, he prefers to play on the right side and he can move forward quickly. In the national team, this is unlikely to change, and talented players such as Hakim Ziyech will be part of that team.
Karl Toko-Ekambi ( Cameroon)
We have chosen a star striker in the Cameroonian team, Karl Toko-Ekambi. He has attained a level of consistency and has reached a level of consistency with his performances at Olympique Lyonnais. In order for Cameroon to succeed, he will have many supporters at his side.
Franck Kessié (Ivory Coast)
As a member of the national team, Frank Kessié has always given his all. It is surprising that he was even selected to play in the 2021 Olympic Games, as he was one of only three players older than 22 years old. His job at the club is to regulate the midfield, and he does the same at the national team level. He will attempt to lead his team to the last four and the African Cup of Nations title.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
I’m sure you’re wondering why the Egyptian King isn’t at the top of our list. It’s Hate bruh. I guess this is my revenge for his Liverpool team trashing my team earlier in the season.
Only Mohamed Salah could represent the most decorated country in Africa. The Liverpool forward is considered one of the most talented players in the world.
He will undoubtedly be one of the major attractions at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2022. In spite of this, the Egyptians are no longer the dominant team they once were.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
Following a troubled season for his club, Arsenal. Auba would be looking to reestablish himself at the AFCON following his loss of a spot in the first team.
The other participating teams also have their major players. Among the list of underdogs we find Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Gabon. The striker, who has played in France and Germany, is currently playing for Arsenal in the English Premier League. The player has already won several titles with his club and will try to do the same with his selection.
Thomas Partey (Ghana)
Teammate of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Thomas Partey will be the main player for Ghana. In 2020 he made the leap to Arsenal from the great Spanish team Atlético Madrid. Throughout the competition, he will attempt to win Ghana’s first title in 40 years.
Naby Keita ( Guinea)
Naby Keita, a Guinean midfielder, also plays for Liverpool. The player who struggled to adjust to the Premier League is now a key part of Jürgen Klopp’s squad. He lost to the defending champion in the round of 16 of AFCON 2019.
Naby Keita has clearly taken on a new dimension by joining the giant of the north of England. It will be necessary to rely on him during CAN 2021.
Conclusion
At the time of writing, no big African soccer stars are injured. However, the first part of the season is in full swing and we hope that it will continue like this for the players. On the other hand, on the Ivory Coast side, Wilfried Zaha announced that he wanted to slow down the pace of going back and forth between his club and the Ivorian national team because of a viral infection he contracted during the October 2021 gathering. The Crystal Palace striker insisted that he still loves playing for his country. It remains to be seen whether he will be selected for the finals of the tournament.
We will be sure to update our lines if players are unfortunately added to this list of injured. However, we hope that nothing will change so that all the great stars of the African continent will be present at this soccer event.