The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will be a stage on which many of the continent's best footballers will demonstrate their abilities, but three young starlets are set to compete with the big boys, and are touted to do fairly well.
Choosing a winner of what is the 34th edition of arguably Africa's most prestigious tournament seems an arduous, nearly impossible task with all of the players representing their respective countries. There is Mohamed Salah who will be representing Egypt, his former Liverpool teammate and Senegal star Sadio Mane, and not mention to Nigeria and Napoli talisman Victor Osimhen.
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While we gaze at these players with awe as they do what they do best, it is, however, important that the younger players do not get overlooked. They also have the advantage of inexperience which alleviates the pressure to carry a team to glory, a burden that is more traditionally placed on the shoulders of the more experienced members of the squad.
In theory, the younger players should be able to run onto the pitch and play their game with freedom that could potentially spark magical moments for their nations.
It is precisely as the quote goes: "If they're good enough, they're old enough," and for what these starlets lack in age, they certainly make up for in skill.
1) Karim Konate
The Ivory Coast forward, at the tender age of 19, is one of the players who could potentially stand out as a top-performer. The striker plies his trade for Austrian Bundesliga side RB Salzburg and made his mark on the team since joining from Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas in July 2022.
Konate is one of the top goal-scorers in the league with eight goals in 17 appearances. In all competitions, the Salzburg star has amassed 16 goal involvements in 25 games, which is something to marvel at considering he is player who is not yet the finished article.
He might just become a key member of the host nation who will be looking to win their third AFCON crown after having last won the tournament in 2015.
2) Victor Boniface
The Nigerian striker is expected to be one half of a destructive duo that also includes Osimhen, the reigning best player on the continent.
It's a combination that should draw much excitement given what the Napoli has already achieved at club level, and what Boniface is achieving this season. The 23-year-old has not even neared his peak and is already scoring goals for fun in the Bundesliga for his club Bayer Leverkusen, who are currently top of the league, four points ahead of German giants Bayern Munich.
Their title-charge has been spearheaded by the Nigerian forward who has contributed to 17 goals in just 16 games! Boniface is emerging as one of the hottest prospects in world football and teaming him up with Osimhen will create a force that will terrify opposition defenders.
3) Odilon Kossounou
One defender who may feel as though he could handle that duo is Boniface's Leverkusen teammate, Kossounou, who is set to represent the host nation at the competition. The pair could very well end up playing against one another much sooner rather than later as both Nigeria and Ivory Coast were drawn in Group A and will face one another on 18 January.
The 23-year-old has also been a key part of Leverkusen's exciting campaign, appearing in 15 of his side's 16 league games thus far. The Ivorian defender ranks fifth place in his team for both pass success rate (89.6%) and tackle success rate (53.4%). He is sure to not only bring grit to his side's defence, but also a coolness and composure in possession.
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