Diouf rules out Super Eagles for AFCON title tips Senegal, Morocco
Senegal international and former Liverpool forward El Hadj Diouf has tipped his country men to defend the AFCON title they last won in Cameroon.
The Lions of Teranga Captained by Sadio Mane clinched the last edition of the continental diadem hosted by Cameroon after beating Pharoahs of Egypt in the final.
El Hadj Diouf whose goal against France in the opener of 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan still tickles impressive goal lovers,said aside from Senegal, Morocco who became the first country to play in the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2022, and the 2023 AFCON hosts, Ivory Coast, are second and third favourites for the title.
READ ALSO Amuneke drums support for Super Eagles to win 2023 AFCON
Recall that in February 2022, Senegal won their first AFCON title in the country’s football history after defeating Egypt in the final in Cameroon.
Diouf rules out Super Eagles for title.
Diouf who recorded 44 caps for his country before he retired, believes his country would successfully defend the AFCON title in Ivory Coast.
“Senegal are the favourites, but there are outsiders like Morocco and Ivory Coast, and there are teams that will emerge from the pack as the competition continues,” El Hadj Diouf said in an interview with Senegalese media outlet Record.
“Now, the African Cup we won in Cameroon was the responsibility of the management, who pulled out all the stops, but the next AFCON will be the responsibility of the players. And it’s up to them to show that they’re not finished yet.”
Senegal are drawn in Group C alongside the former hosts of the competition, Cameroon, Gambia, and Guinea.
The competition which will be hosted in five cities in Ivory Coast Abidjan, Bouaké, Korhogo, San Pédro, and Yamoussoukro, will commence on January 13 and end on February 11, 2024.
Once upon a time the Super Eagles of Nigeria were dreaded and listed among hot favorites to win at various competitions but after failing to qualify for the last world cup in Qatar and crashing out of the last Nations cup in the round of 16 most pundicts now believe is like any other team, little wonder the submission by broadcast journalist
READ ALSO CAF AWARD: Super Eagles missing National team of the year
Mozez Praiz after the Eagles were sent packing from the Nations Cup in Cameroon that ‘Iyalaya anybody can be beaten” blew up the social media.