Salah, Mane, and other stars. Who to watch in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations

In January, two major continental tournaments will take place, as we previously discussed: the Africa Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup. They will run without a break during the top leagues, attracting numerous stars from those leagues.

This article focuses on the Africa Cup. Dailysports invites you to understand which national teams will bring the most star-studded footballers to the tournament and who is worth keeping an eye on.

• Read on: How will the African Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup affect Premier League clubs?

Andre Onana (Cameroon)

Andre Onana, who left his national team's base in a scandal before the last World Cup, has decided to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations after all. The goalkeeper openly expressed concern about losing his place in Manchester United's starting lineup and showed willingness to skip the continental tournament.

The most controversial story in recent days revolves around the Cameroonian goalkeeper. According to Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag, Onana will play on January 14 against Tottenham and immediately after that will join his national team. Note that Cameroon starts the tournament the next day against Guinea, a match Onana won't be able to assist with. Interestingly, after the match against Spurs, the next United game is scheduled for January 27 or 28 in the FA Cup, so if Cameroon doesn't advance from the group, Onana might not miss any Manchester United matches.

Hakimi and Ziyech (Moroccо)

Most of the players called up for the Africa Cup in the Moroccan national team made waves at the World Cup in Qatar a little over a year ago. The team achieved a staggering success, securing fourth place in the World Cup and becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals of the tournament.

Morocco will be among the medal contenders, with players like Ziyech and Hakimi, whose contracts belong to top European clubs and who continue to perform at a high level. With these names, the Moroccan national team looks strong, making it interesting to see how far they can go in the tournament.

Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)

The Nigerian forward at Napoli had a remarkable previous season, contributing significantly to his team's championship victory and winning the Serie A top scorer title. He will lead Nigeria at the upcoming tournament. However, this season, the forward has performed less impressively, but he remains Napoli's main attacking force. Last season, he scored 26 goals in Serie A, but this season, Osimhen has only scored 8 goals in 18 matches in all competitions.

Interestingly, besides Osimhen, there is another Victor in the Nigerian national team capable of significantly influencing the team's game. Last summer, Boniface moved from Union to Bayer Leverkusen. Under coach Xavi Alonso, the team surprises many with their Bundesliga results and rightfully leads the tournament table. Boniface is considered one of the standout players of the tournament, scoring 16 goals and providing 8 assists in 23 matches for his team. The forward has yet to score for the national team, and just before the start of the African championship, he got injured in the national team's camp and won't be able to help his team.

• Read on: What you need to know about the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations? Favorites, format and venue

Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast)

At the home championship for Ivory Coast, the midfielder will be one of the main stars of his team. After five successful seasons in Milan, Kessie made a move up to Barcelona but didn't quite manage to prove himself there. Last summer, following the lead of many stars, the midfielder headed to Saudi Arabia, where he's performing quite well for Al Ahli. With him in the lineup, the Ivorian team is highly rated by bookmakers and is considered one of the main favorites to win the tournament.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

Arguably the strongest African footballer at the moment. Undoubtedly, Liverpool will find it challenging to play without him, but Salah aims to finally triumph with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. There's no need to mention that Mohammed is the main hope for the team, with whom he has already reached the finals twice (2017 and 2021). Egypt has assembled a decent team capable of fighting for medals. However, Salah will lead his team in pursuit of victory. Interestingly, Egypt is not among the top three favorites for the tournament according to bookmakers, but Salah is currently considered the main contender for the top scorer title in the upcoming championship.

Mohammed Kudus (Ghana)

The Ghanaian national team is traveling to the tournament as more of a mid-level team than a contender for victory. Despite the presence of the Ayew and Inyaki Williams, the main star of the team is likely to be winger Mohammed Kudus from West Ham. The 23-year-old player moved from Ajax last summer and immediately showed good performances for the "Hammers". No one expects stunning success from the Ghanaian team, but being a 'dark horse' in the tournament is well within their capabilities.

Nicolas Jackson and Sadio Mane (Senegal)

The present and future of the Senegalese national team. Jackson is only 22 years old and is in his second year at the highest level. After a decent stint at Villarreal, Chelsea signed him for 37 million euros. It can't be said that Nicolas impresses with his play in England and often faces criticism from fans. However, the Senegalese forward is currently the team's top scorer, alongside Cole Palmer.

Mane, after an unsuccessful period at Bayern, headed to the Middle East, where he plays for Al Nassr alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. His scoring rate cannot be called exceptionally high, but Mane has already scored 12 goals in 30 matches this season. Interestingly, Mane is considered the main star of the Senegalese national team.

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Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

For Mahrez, this Africa Cup of Nations will be his fifth in his career. In 2019, the Algerian national team, with Riyad in the squad, unexpectedly triumphed at the continent's championship, solidifying its status as a strong African team. After spending 10 years in England and winning numerous trophies, last summer, he moved to Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli. The 32-year-old player continues to perform at a good level and brings a lot of benefit to his team on the football field. In the Algerian national team, the former Manchester City player has long been considered the leader and the main hope for the country. There are suspicions that the team is capable of delivering an unexpected surprise and progressing far in the tournament.