Profile of Mali team for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations record:
Previous appearances in finals: (12) 1972, 1994, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021
Best performance: Runners up 1972
Drawn in Group E with Namibia, South Africa and Tunisia
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Coach: Eric Chelle
Born in the Ivory Coach and brought up in France, the 46-year-old was an international defender for Mali. Chelle was a surprise replacement in May 2022 for previous Mali coach Mohamed Magassouba, whose contract was not renewed after they narrowly lost out to Tunisia in the 2022 World Cup qualification playoffs. Chelle’s previous coaching experience was at Martigues and Boulogne in the French lower divisions. He made five appearances for Mali between 2004 and 2006.
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Key player: Yves Bissouma. Age: 27. Midfielder
A regular for Tottenham Hotspur where he is used by manager Ange Postecoglou in a double-pivot midfield setup. For Mali, he plays a more attacking role. Bissouma was born in the Ivory Coast but grew up in Mali and scouted from the local league by French club Lille. He was signed by Brighton & Hove Albion in 2018 and four year later moved to Spurs in a 30-million pound ($38.15 million) deal. Bissouma played for Mali at the last Cup of Nations finals, where they suffered an embarrassing second round exit at the hands of Equatorial Guinea.
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FIFA world ranking Dec 2023: 51
How they qualified: Top placed team in Group G, ahead of Gambia, Congo and South Sudan.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Aboubacar Doumbia (Afrique Football Elite), Djigui Diarra (Young Africans), Ismael Diawara (Malmo)
Defenders: Amadou Dante (Sturm Graz), Moussa Diarra (Toulouse), Mamadou Fofana (Amiens), Boubacar Kiki Kouyate (Montpellier), Sikou Niakate (Sporting Braga), Falaye Sacko (Montpellier), Hamari Traore (Real Sociedad)
Midfielders: Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur), Mohamed Camara (Monaco), Lassana Coulibaly (Salernitana), Aliou Dieng (Al Ahly), Kamory Doumbia (Stade Brest), Amadou Haidara (RB Leipzig), Diadie Samassekou (Hoffenheim), Adama ‘Noss’ Traore (Hull City), Boubacar Traore (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Forwards: Fousseni Diabate (Lausanne Sport), Nene Dorgeles (Salzburg), Serine Doucoure (Lorient), Moussa Doumbia (Al Adala), Sekou Koita (Salzburg), Youssoufa Nikaite (Bani Yas), Lassine Sinayoko (AJ Auxerre), Ibrahima Sissoko (Saint Etienne).
Profile of Namibia team for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations record:
Previous appearances in finals: (3) 1998, 2008, 2019
Best performance: Group phase
Drawn in Group E with Mali, South Africa and Tunisia.
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Coach: Collin Benjamin
Benjamin played in the Bundesliga and Champions League with Hamburg and featured for Namibia at the 2008 Cup of Nations finals in Ghana. He remains one of the southern African country’s most successful footballing exports and after concluding his career in Germany stayed at 1860 Munich in their coaching structures. Once he returned home to Windhoek, he began coaching with the football association and worked his way up to national team coach, appointed to the post in June 2022.
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Key player: Peter Shalulile. Age: 30. Forward
A key member of the Mamelodi Sundowns side which won the inaugural edition of the new African ‘super league’ in November, Shalulile has been the leading goal scorer in the South African premier league in three of the last four seasons. He started out as a fullback but was converted to striker and quickly made his mark in domestic soccer, earning a first Namibia cap in 2014. South African clubs quickly scouted him and after starting out at Highlands Park, he joined Sundowns in 2020 and since won three successive championships with them.
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FIFA world ranking Dec 2023: 115
How they qualified: Second place team in Group C, behind Cameroon but ahead of Burundi.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Loydt Kazapua (Chippa United), Edward Maova (University of Pretoria), Kamainjanda Ndisiro (African Stars)
Defenders: Kennedy Amutenya (Gaborone United), Ananias Gebhardt (Baroka), Charles Hambira (African Stars), Riaan Hanamub (AmaZulu), Denzil Haoseb (Khomas Nampol), Lubeni Haukongo (Cape Town Spurs), Ivan Kamberipa (Orapa United), Ryan Nyambe (Derby County), Aprocius Petrus (Liria Prizren)
Midfielders: Uetuuru Kambato (African Stars), Ngero Katua (UNAM), Marcel Papama, Wendell Rudath (both Jwaneng Galaxy), Petrus Shitembi (Kuching City), Prins Tjiueza (Liria Prizren)
Forwards: Deon Hotto (Orlando Pirates), Absalom Iimbondi (Khomas Nampol), Joslin Kamatuka (Maritzburg United), Bethuel Muzeu (Black Leopards), Peter Shalulile (Mamelodi Sundowns).
Profile of South Africa team for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations record:
Previous appearances in finals: (10) 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2019.
Best performance: Winners 1996
Drawn in Group E with Mali, Namibia and Tunisia
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Coach: Hugo Broos
The 71-year-old Belgian will be the oldest coach at the Cup of Nations and also one of three to have won it previously, having guided Cameroon to glory in 2017. Broos was a Belgian international, playing at the World Cup in Mexico in 1986 where they finished fourth, and spending his career at Anderlecht and then their arch rivals Club Brugge. He also coached both clubs, wining the Belgian league with Brugge in 1992 and 1996 and with Anderlecht in 2004. He moved abroad in 2008 to coach in Greece and Turkey and later also in Algeria.
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Key player: Percy Tau. Age: 29. Forward
Already an African champion at club level with double Champions League success, first at Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 and then Al Ahly of Egypt last year. Brighton & Hove Albion signed him in 2018 but loaned him out to Belgian clubs for three years, spent at Union Saint Gilloise, Club Brugge and Anderlecht before six months in the Premier League. But he did not get much game time under Graham Potter and was sold to Cairo giants Al Ahly in mid-2021, where he has become a firm favourite with the fans.
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FIFA world ranking Dec 2023: 66
How they qualified: Second placed team in Group K, behind Morocco but ahead of Liberia.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Ricardo Goss (SuperSport United), Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Defenders: Grant Kekana, Terrence Mashego (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Nyiko Mobbie (Sekhukhune United), Aubrey Modiba, Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala (all Mamelodi Sundowns), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Siyanda Xulu (SuperSport United)
Midfielders: Jayden Adams (Stellenbosch), Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabang Monare (Orlando Pirates), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Forwards: Oswin Appollis (Polokwane City), Zakhele Lepasa, Evidence Makgopa (both Orlando Pirates), Thapelo Maseko (Mamelodi Sundowns), Mihlali Mayambela (Aris Limassol), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Percy Tau (Al Ahly).
Profile of Tunisia team for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations record:
Previous appearances in finals: (20) 1962, 1963, 1965, 1978, 1982, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021
Best performance: Winners 2004
Drawn in Group E with Mali, Namibia and South Africa.
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Coach: Jalel Kadri
The 52-year-old has had a journeyman coaching career at a myriad of clubs both in Tunisia and in the Middle East and was Tunisia’s assistant coach at the last Cup of Nations finals. Despite reaching the quarter-final, his predecessor Mondher Kebaier was fired afterwards and Kadri stepped into the hot seat, immediately securing World Cup qualification for Tunisia. He took them to the finals in Qatar where they beat France but still did not make it out of the group phase, following which his offer to resign was not accepted by the Tunisian federation who insisted he stay in the post.
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Key player: Ellyes Skhiri. Age: 28. Midfielder.
Skhiri set a Bundesliga record for the most distance covered by a single player in a season. His strength lies in his defensive resilience and strong work ethic. He made his Montpellier debut as a fullback and then moved into the heart of the defence, before shifting into a holding midfielder role at Cologne. He was signed by Eintracht Frankfurt at the start of this season. Skhiri was born in France but his father is Tunisian and he made his national team debut in 2018, ahead of the World Cup in Russia.
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FIFA world ranking Dec 2023: 28
How they qualified: Top place team in Group J, ahead of Equatorial Guinea, Botswana and Libya.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Bechir Ben Said (US Monastir), Aymen Dhamen (Al Hazem), Mouez Hassen (Club Africain)
Defenders: Ali Abdi (Caen), Alaa Ghram (CS Sfaxien), Oussam Haddadi (Greuther Furth), Hamza Jelassi (Etoile Sahel), Wajdi Kechrida (Atromitos), Ali Maaloul (Al Ahly), Yassine Meriah (Esperance), Montassir Talbi (Lorient), Yan Valery (Angers)
Midfielders: Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Ferencvaros), Anis Ben Slimane (Sheffield United), Aissa Laidouni (Union Berlin), Hadj Mahmoud (Lugano), Hamza Rafia (Lecce), Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt), Bassem Srarfi (Club Africain), Houssem Tka (Esperance),
Forwards: Elias Achouri (FC Copenhagen), Seifeddine Jaziri (Zamalek), Haythem Jouini (Stade Tunisien), Taha Yassine Khenissi (Kuwait SC), Sayfallah Ltaief (Winterthur), Youssef Msakni (Al Arabi), Naim Sliti (Al Ahli).