The 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to kick off today in Ivory Coast, featuring 24 national teams, with Senegal as the defending champions.
The opening match will see Ivory Coast face Guinea-Bissau in Group A, alongside Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
Among the shining stars expected to grace the tournament are Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, and Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi.
Nigeria will begin their journey tomorrow against Equatorial Guinea, followed by Egypt facing Mozambique later that night.
Morocco is scheduled to play against Tanzania next Wednesday.
Victor Osimhen, the top scorer of the Italian Serie A last season, is notably the most valuable player in the AFCON, with a market value of €110 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Salah and Hakimi follow closely, each valued at €65 million.
The intriguing aspect is that Osimhen’s market value surpasses the entire estimated value of several participating teams in the tournament.
Guinea-Bissau, for instance, has a collective market value of €26.23 million, and Equatorial Guinea is valued at just €10 million, both falling short of Nigeria’s total value.
A similar pattern is observed with Mohamed Salah, whose value exceeds the combined market value of Mozambique (€25.05 million) and Cape Verde (€27.20 million).
The total value of both teams is €52.25 million, still below the market value of Egypt’s 31-year-old captain.
In Group D, Hakimi also outshines Tanzania (€6.80 million) and Zambia (€33.95 million).
The combined value of both teams amounts to €40.75 million, once again falling short of the Moroccan defender’s individual market value.
As the tournament unfolds, these football maestros are poised to make a significant impact on the continent’s premier football competition.
