The African Cup of Nations 2021 scheduled to be held in Cameroon in 2022, all African football teams would parade their best legs around from some of the biggest leagues at Mondial.

 

We took our time to select the top 30 best players to watch in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon in the various national team squads

 

The AFCON promises to be mouth-watering after a long wait. The African Cup of Nations is indeed the most prestigious football tournament after the Copa America and the European Football Championship.

 

 

A quick look at the Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga where most African players are based, some clubs would be missing out on their best legs.

 

So who are the best players to watch in the African Cup Nations 2021 edition to be held in Cameroon on February 2022?

 

From the fastest Mohamed Salah to trickish Sadio Mane onto a young and confident Victor Osimhen, we’ve researched to bring to you some of the best players in the squads of African Cup of Nations participating teams.

 

Top 30 best players to watch in the African Cup Nations in Cameroon 2021 (2022)

 

Note: players are listed in no particular order

 

1. Mohamed Salah

“File:Mo Salah 2018 (cropped).jpg” by Kevin Walsh from Preston Brook, England is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Position: Striker

Club: Liverpool (Premier League)

Country: Egypt

 

Mohamed Salah is arguably the best African footballer in 2021 and one of the most impressive in the last three seasons. Playing as a forward for Liverpool, Salah had been consistent in front of goal, which helped leap unto Liverpool’s top 10 all-time top scorers.

 

He’s been outstanding and has partnered with fellow African Sadio Mane who’s also one of the best players in the Liverpool squad for the past three seasons.

 

The goal threat of the Egyptian is something to worry about for opposing teams. He’s known for his ability to quickly spot a loose gap by either finishing from long range or making a tapping.

 

Arguably, Salah is one of the best players in the world, well known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed.

 

His consistency speaks for him. In over 160 appearances for Liverpool in the Premier League, he’s scored an impressive 108 goals for the club. Representing Egypt, Salah finished the African Cup of Nations hosted by Gabon in 2017 as runners-up. He scored two goals in the tournament.

 

Some of his major honours in his playing career include the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Premier League, and Swiss Super League.

 

2. Naby Keïta

Position: Central Midfielder

Club: Liverpool (Premier League)

Country: Guinea

 

Holding firm the position of central midfield in the Premier League isn’t easy more especially in a club like Liverpool where the competition is at its peak.

 

But Naby Keïta has held with his position at Anfield. Keïta who began his professional football career with Ligue 2 club FC Istres, moved to Leipzig where his exploits in the Austrian Football Bundesliga attracted Liverpool’s interest.

 

Since 2018, Keita has been in the books of the Premier League club and have has contributed to the club’s recent success in all competitions.

 

Although the competition at Liverpool is currently at its peak for Keita, he’s not failed to deliver whenever he’s on the field of play. He might not be the goal-scoring Midfielder football fans would crave, his role is more of a player and the passer of the ball for the offensive players.

 

His main ability is more of distributing accurate passes and holding his half where there’s an attack on his position.

 

So far some of the major honours Keita has won include the Premier League, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and Austrian Bundesliga. Would Keita push Guinea to the AFCON trophy in Cameroon next year?

 

3. Yves Bissouma

 

Position: Midfielder

Club: Brighton & Hove Albion (Premier League)

Country: Mali

 

The AFCON promises more fun with the likes of Yves Bissouma standing as the stronghold for the Malian national team.

 

Bissouma is a creative Midfielder who’s been in the books of Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion since 2018 and is currently one of the most wanted Midfielders in the market.

 

Goal scoring is not the focus of Bissouma, rather his abilities are more of team play which includes distribution of brilliant passes and making quality interceptions.

 

Some interesting Yves Bissouma stats

Successful dribbles 1.6 (72%)

Total duels won 6.2 (61%)

Ground duels won 5.5 (63%)

Aerial duels won 0.6 (47%)

 

His main role at Brighton Hove Albion is centered around the Midfield or similar to a defensive box-to-box midfielder whose job is all protecting the back and also to move in some cases.

 

One good thing about the Malian which has made him be one of the club’s most outstanding players is his consistency and fewer injuries. Yves Bissouma is one of the best Midfielders to watch in the African Cup Nations in Cameroon.

 

4. Kalidou Koulibaly

Position: Defender

Club: Napoli (Série A)

Country: Senegal

 

Kalidou Koulibaly, presently is the best defender on the African continent. Successfully kept his place at Napoli since moving to the Partenopei in 2014, the Senegalese has already made a name for himself in the Série A.

 

Kalidou Koulibaly has featured for Napoli over 221 times in the league and has scored twelve goals.

 

Some interesting stats to know about Kalidou Koulibaly

If you expect to see a goal Scoring defender, I’m sorry you might want to look elsewhere because the Senegal international is more of a defensive general known for dictating the pace of the game at the back.

 

Since 2014, he’s formed a great wall at the back for Napoli which is currently the bedrock of the team’s success since the start of 2021/2022.

 

Touches 83.6

Accurate per game 63.4 (87%)

Accurate own half 36.6 (90%)

Accurate opposition half 26.8 (84%)

Accurate long balls 3.0 (52%)

Accurate chipped passes 2.4 (44%)

 

For the Senegal national team ahead of the African Cup of Nations, Kalidou Koulibaly is one of the big names to look out for.

 

Coached of the Senegalese national team Aliou Cissé would be banking on Kalidou Koulibaly along with Sadio Mane as the West African country look to get their first-ever AFCON trophy.

 

5. Franck Kessié

Position: Midfielders

Club: AC Milan (Italy)

Country: Ivory Coast (Cote D’Ivoire)

 

Franck Kessié has made himself a household name in the Italian Serie A with AC Milan. As a fulcrum of Stefano Pioli’s AC Milan youthful squad, the Ivorian international has played a major role in Milan’s success in the last two seasons.

 

Moving to AC Milan in 2017, Kessié has been outstanding which includes helping the club to secure second place in the 2020–21 Serie A and qualification for the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League.

 

Kicking off the Champions League with AC Milan after eight years of absence, Kessié was outstanding but his efforts were not enough for Rossoneri to secure a ticket for the knockout stages.

 

He played five out of six Champions League group stage fixtures. In the Série A, he’s one of the best performers at the club with up to three goals.

 

Ahead of the AFCON, the Ivorian national team would need more of his services especially now they’re more focused on the continent following the World Cup disaster.

 

Franck Kessié along with Sébastien Haller, Wilfried Zaha, and Nicolas Pepe is expected to lead the Ivorian contingents to the finals.

 

6. Sadio Mané

Position: Winger

Club: Liverpool (Premier League)

Country: Senegal

 

Formed Liverpool’s front three since 2016, Mane had become a soldier and an eagle eye for goal in the Premier League with Liverpool.

 

Mané helped Liverpool claim their sixth UEFA Champions League in 2019 after falling to Real Madrid in the previous final in 2018. Mane is known for his high intensity, speed, and sprint. He’s been among Liverpool’s most outstanding players in the last few seasons.

 

Mané can be described as a prolific goalscorer, with some unique abilities such as finishing, speed, and trickery in possession.

 

Some of Sadio Mane’s honours include a UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Austrian Bundesliga.

 

7. Sébastien Haller

 

Position: Forward

Club: Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Country: Ivory Coast (Cote D’Ivoire)

 

Sebastien Haller is currently the biggest hotshot in the 2021/2022 UEFA Champions League with Ajax.

 

The former West Ham United forward broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of scoring in every Champions League group game and also helped Ajax to complete six wins in six games.

 

Haller is of the brightest player in 2021/2022. Sadly, he’ll be missed at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar following Ivory Coast nightmare World Cup qualifiers.

 

However, there’s still pride to play for when the African Cup Nations takes centre stage in Cameroon. Haller is one of the biggest players to watch based on his performance since the commencement of the 2021/2022 season.

 

The 27-year old scored ten goals at the end of the Champions League group stages and would be hoping for more success as Ajax head to the knockout stages.

 

Ajax’s best performance in the Champions League in the last three years was a semi-final finish in the 2018–19 campaign.

 

8. Riyad Mahrez

Position: Winger

Club: Manchester City (Premier League)

Country: Algeria

 

Riyad Mahrez is one of the fastest and most prolific goalscorers on the African continent. The Algerian who plays for Manchester City scored three goals including a five-star performance to help his country claim their second AFCON glory after 31 years.

 

Mahrez under coach Pep Guardiola at Manchester City has developed into a more versatile player, who is capable of playing anywhere across the front line. His abilities make him a standout player in the English Premier League.

 

Currently, he’s regarded as one of the best wingers in world football which could be attributed to the success he’d enjoyed while at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola.

 

With the national team, Mahrez along with Ismaël Bennacer helped Algeria claim the 2019 African Cup of Nations by beating West Africans Senegal. Mahrez is one of the big names to watch at the AFCON.

 

9. Wilfred Ndidi

Position: Midfielder

Club: Leicester City (Premier League)

Country: Nigeria

 

Wilfred Ndidi is arguably Nigeria’s most consistent player in the last three seasons. With Leicester City in the Premier League, Ndidi has been a stronghold in the middle for the Foxes who’s also capable of playing at the back.

 

The Leicester City Midfielder is known for his defensive prowess and long-range strikes which has made him one of the most talked-about players in the Premier League.

 

Since 2017, Ndidi had established himself as one of the most preferred options for the Foxes across all competitions.

 

In 2020/2021, the Nigerian helped Leicester City to win the English FA Cup against Chelsea and the FA Community Shield against Manchester City. Ndidi has continued to maintain his regular position at the club. He’s one of the best players to watch at the AFCON.

 

10. Édouard Mendy

Position: Goalkeeper

Club: Chelsea (Premier League)

Country: Senegal

 

Édouard Mendy is the best goalkeeper on the African continent at the moment.

 

Moving from French Ligue 1 side Rennes to Chelsea, the Senegalese quickly established himself as the number option in goal for the London-based club.

 

Chelsea at the time did have some questions mark on Kepa Arrizabalaga. For Mendy, it was a dream come true when he kept 16 clean sheets in his first Premier League season with the club.

 

In 2021, in recognition of his performance, Édouard Mendy was awarded the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year. Sticking in between the sticks for Senegal during the 2019 African Cup Nations, Mendy would be available once again at the Mondial in Cameroon.

 

Édouard Mendy has won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Ligue 2. He’d also finished runners up in the FA Cup and African Cup Nations in 2019.

 

11. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Position: Striker

Club: Arsenal (Premier League)

Country: Gabon

 

Arsenal FC would be without their key man who’s out to lead his side to victory amid FIFA World Cup miss. Aubameyang was instrumental in his side’s road to the final tournament in Cameroon.

 

Although the Gabonese have faced a goal drought in the Premier League lately, there are high hopes on his return to goal-scoring form.

 

Arsenal started the season on a bad note, forcing the club to make huge decisions. However, Mikel Arteta expressed his concerns over Aubameyang’s lack of goalscoring form.

 

This season, Gabonese has scored just five goals across all competitions including the Premier League and FA Cup.

 

12. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa

 

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Club: Napoli

Country: Cameroon

 

André-Frank Zambo Anguissa is one of the most outstanding players at Napoli at the moment.

 

Coach Luciano Spalleti has had cause to smile since the commencement of the new season as a result of Anguissa’s performance which had also helped the club in terms of conceding fewer goals and creating more scoring opportunities for the forward line.

 

Anguissa is expected to be part of his country’s final man shortlist for the Mondial in February.

 

13. Joël Matip

 

Position: Defender

Club: Liverpool (Premier League)

Country: Cameroon

 

Joël Matip is among the Jürgen Klopp empire at Liverpool. The Cameroonian who’s been in his best form lately is amongst the key players Cameroon would be hoping for when the tournament begins.

 

14. Karl Toko Ekambi

 

Position: Forward

Club: Lyon (Ligue 1)

Country: Cameroon

 

Toko Ekambi has been in fine form since the beginning of the new season. The Cameroonian attacker has been assigned to the attack in most games this season.

 

He’s contributed more goals than he’s scored this season. Karl Toko Ekambi is one of the big threats to watch when the AFCON begins.

 

15. Samuel Chukwueze

 

Position: Winger

Club: Villarreal CF (La Liga)

Country: Nigeria

 

Samuel Chukwueze was impressive last season when Villarreal CF edged Manchester United to the Europa League title. The Nigerian winger was a good dribble who came to the rescue in most cases as a result of his unique abilities.

 

Although he could not feature in the final against Manchester United due to injury, Villarreal had a five-star performance to deny the European heavyweight for yet another European silverware.

 

Chukwueze has started the new season on a high note and is expected to break into Nigeria’s team for the AFCON.

 

16. Saïd Benrahma

 

Position: Midfielder

Club: West Ham United (Premier League)

Country: Algeria

 

Saïd Benrahma is one of the most outstanding players at West Ham this season.

 

The 26-year old Algerian international has been consistent in Midfield and played a key role in West Ham defeat of some of the top Premier League teams like Chelsea, and Liverpool.

 

Benrahma plays more of an attacking role which could be helpful for Algeria in the African Cup of Nations.

 

17. Wilfried Zaha

 

Position: Forward

Club: Crystal Palace (Premier League)

Country: Ivory (Coast Cote D’Ivoire)

 

Wilfried Zaha is the most consistent forward at Crystal Palace over the last few seasons. The Ivorian international is known for his ability to create and score against opponents. Zaha is expected to lead the Ivory Coast contingent to Cameroon.

 

18. Thomas Partey

 

Position: Midfielder

Club: Arsenal (Premier League)

Country: Ghana

 

Partey is a Ghanaian who’s currently in the books of Arsenal. Partey was known for his brilliance while he was in Spain.

 

19. Kelechi Iheanacho

 

Position: Forward

Club: Leicester City (Premier League)

Country: Nigeria

 

Kelechi Iheanacho had a season to remember in 2020/2021 after scoring some of the most important goals that led to the club’s FA Cup title.

 

Iheanacho also played a key part in the Premier League including scoring in consecutive games. Last season, Iheanacho won the Premier League Player of the Month award in March 2021 after scoring five goals in three league appearances.

 

20. Daniel Amartey

 

Position: Defender

Club: Leicester City (Premier League)

Country: Ghana

 

Daniel Amartey is one of the most brilliant defenders in the English Premier League for Leicester City. He’s been in fine form since the beginning of 2021/2022 and has become a core part of Brendan Rodgers’s first team.

 

The Ghanaian has been in the books of the Premier League club since 2016 and was part of the Premier League-winning squad in the 2015/2016 season.

 

Amartey has also won the FA Cup and Community Shield with the Foxes. This season, he’s played more minutes with Brendan Rodgers sticking with the Ghanaian following his impressive start to the season.

 

21. Alex Iwobi

 

Position: Midfielder

Club: Everton (Premier League)

Country: Nigeria

 

Alex Iwobi has faced ups and downs since the beginning of the new season. However, the talented midfielder remains a threat going forward. Alex Iwobi is among the highly-rated Nigerian players ahead of the AFCON. He’s also played very well at Everton.

 

22. Victor Osimhen

 

Position: Striker

Club: Napoli (Série A)

Country: Nigeria

 

Arguably, Victor Osimhen is one of the most talented players on the African continent. He started the 2021/2022 season on fire but was forced out of contention due to minor injuries.

 

Head coach of the side Luciano Spalleti entrusted Osimhen going forward which the Nigerian had consistently delivered. Osimhen moved to Napoli for a club-record fee of €70 million potentially rising to €80 million with add-ons.

 

So far, he is one of Napoli’s best players and he has also contributed majorly to the club’s current position on the league table.

 

Handed more playing time, Osimhen as a fearless striker could be the main danger man. Following the injury that left his face bruised, his chances of making it to the AFCON were automatically closed.

 

However, quick intervention and excellent work on the part of the Napoli team doctors had helped the Nigerian return to full fitness for the task ahead.

 

Osimhen is expected to lead Nigeria’s quest for another AFCON trophy and at the same time push Napoli to the top of the table.

 

23. Frank Onyeka

 

Position: Midfielder

Club: Brentford (Premier League)

Country: Nigeria

 

Onyeka was outstanding during his time at Midtjylland, helping the club to two Danish league titles and one Danish Cup.

 

His form before the start of the 2021/2022 Premier League got the attention of Brentford handlers who sought to bring the Nigerian to the Premier League.

 

Although the competition is greater, the Nigerian has been able to break into the first team and have made a meaningful impact with the minutes he’s had. Onyeka is one of Nigeria’s lethal weapons ahead of the AFCON tournament in Cameroon next year.

 

24. Mohamed El-Shenawy

 

Position: Goalkeeper

Club: Al Ahly Egypt

Country: Egypt

 

Mohamed El-Shenawy has been one of the most outstanding goalkeepers on the African continent.

 

The 32-year old has been in between the sticks for the most successful Egyptian side Al Ahly in domestic and continental football competitions. He’s also picked as the number one option for the national team.

 

25. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

 

Position: Striker

Club: Bayern Munich (Bundesliga)

Country: Cameroon

 

Cameroon star Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is one of the top players to watch at the AFCON.

The Bayern Munich star was absent the last time the country shocked Africa by lifting the African Cup of Nations without some of their most established players.

 

Choupo-Moting is an experienced player who’s got the flavour to spice up Cameroon’s outing. Cameroon would host the competition and the pressure is already on them to deliver at the Mondial.

 

26. Emmanuel Dennis

 

Position: Striker

Club: Watford (Premier League)

Country: Nigeria

 

As a surprise signing of the season, Emmanuel Dennis has transformed his game to be Watford’s most prolific goalscorer.

 

Scoring five out of six games was a major milestone for the Nigerian who was linked with several Premier League clubs including Manchester United and Arsenal. Dennis won the Belgium First Division with Club Brugge twice in 2017–18 and 2019–20.

 

He’s currently Claudio Ranieri’s hotshot at Watford even as the Hornets battle for their survival in the Premier League.

 

Would Dennis opt to represent Nigeria at the AFCON in Cameroon amid rumours of a potential snub, the Super Eagles would have been among the best teams in contention for the trophy.

 

27. Cheikhou Kouyate

 

Position: Midfielder, center-back

Club: Crystal Palace

Country: Senegal

 

Cheikhou Kouyaté is one of the standout players currently at Premier League side West Ham United.

 

Kouyaté’s consistency made him the most preferred option in the middle by coach Patrick Viera who’s consistently become a stumbling block against the big teams in the league.

 

This season, the Senegalese have had a meaningful impact at the club. Kouyaté joined West Ham United in 2016 from Belgian First Division A side Kortrijk initially on loan.

 

The 31-year old is currently one of the most important players at Crystal Palace. His exit for the African Cup of Nations would be detrimental for Crystal Palace and Coach Patrick Viera who’s consistently hoping to turn things around for the Eagles.

 

28. Geoffrey Kondogbia

 

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Club: Atlético Madrid (La Liga)

Country: Central African Republic

 

On the list of the Central African Republic contingent for the AFCON finals in Cameroon, Geoffrey Kondogbia standouts as the biggest name. The 28-year old currently plays as a defensive midfielder for La Liga side Atlético Madrid.

 

He’d represented the French U20 youth development team, winning the FIFA U20 competition in 2013. At Atlético Madrid, Kondogbia was part of Diego Simeone options in the La Liga title pursuit.

 

The Central African Republic Midfielder was in action in almost Atlético Madrid UEFA Champions League group stage matches.

 

29. Hakim Ziyech

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Position: Attacking midfielder

Club: Chelsea (Premier League)

Country: Morocco

 

Hakim Ziyech is one of the quality Moroccan soccer players in the English Premier League. Moved from Ajax Amsterdam to Chelsea in 2020, Ziyech was one of the most creative players at the Dutch club.

 

Ziyech started fine with Chelsea even though much competition had forced him to settle for less, the Moroccan remains on the perfect list of the London-based club.

 

Ziyech helped Chelsea to win the UEFA Champions League in 2020–21 and the UEFA Super Cup in 2021. Ziyech would lead Morocco’s contingent to the finals in Cameroon.

 

Ziyech is a quality forward with unique abilities like good finishing, dribbling, long passes, technique, and ability from free kicks.

 

30. Ismaïla Sarr

 

Position: Winger

Club: Watford (Premier League)

Country: Senegal

 

Ismaïla Sarr is one of the brilliant players in the Premier League. Currently, in the books of Watford, Sarr made his mark when he scored important goals which resulted in Liverpool’s first defeat of the 2019–20 season.

 

During the match, Sarr picked up two goals and two assists to down the Champions.

 

Moving down to the EFL Championship, Sarr finished as Watford’s top scorer for the 2020–21 season, scoring thirteen goals that helped the club earn promotion back to the Premier League the following season.

 

He’s continued with his fine form since the beginning of the 2021/2022 season. Ahead of the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon, Sarr is expected to be among Senegal’s contingent.

 

In the last Championship, he played a major role that helped Senegal finish the tournament as runners-up following the defeat to Egypt in the final.