The Africa Cup of Nations has begun, with the prestigious competition bringing together all the best teams from Africa. And while you might not find all tallest soccer player at AFCON, you are sure to enjoy a great spectacle of sports.

1- Algeria

Algeria has won two AFCON titles in the past, with their most recent one coming in 2019 when they defeated Senegal in the final. Their squad is filled with hugely talented players, including the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Islam Slimani and Said Benrahma.

Mahrez was part of the Leicester City team who lifted the Premier League crown in 2016. He later signed for Manchester City in 2018, where he has won several trophies so far. The winger has the distinction of making 103 top-flight appearances for the Citizens, with 33 goals to his name.

Slimani currently plays for Lyon but he has played for Leicester, Sporting Lisbon and Monaco in the past. While Said Behrahma has been on the books of West Ham since 2020.

2- Senegal

Senegal boasts plenty of stars in its ranks. They look like one of the most favourite teams to lift the AFCON trophy this year.

Sadio Mane plays for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. The forward has been on the books of Liverpool since 2016. So far, he has clocked up 178 Premier League appearances for the Reds, with an incredible 82 goals to his name.

Then there is Kalidou Koulibaly, who could be one of the best defenders in the tournament. The 30-year-old currently plays for Serie A side Napoli. Since joining the Stadio San Paolo in 2014, he has made over 200 appearances for the Italian outfit, scoring 12 goals in the process.

As mentioned by thefootballreports.com Edouard Mendy has the ability to become one of the best goalkeepers of all time, plays for Chelsea. He moved to Stamford Bridge from Rennes in 2020 in a deal worth around £22 million. The keeper was part of the team that won the Champions League final against Manchester City in 2021.

Having such an incredible squad, Senegal looks very likely to make it to the final of the tournament.

3- Nigeria

Nigeria’s prospects for winning the AFCON 2021 suffered a big blow when it was announced that star players Victor Osimhen, Paul Onuachu and Emmanuel Dennis will not be travelling with them.

However, they still seem to be a very good team without their star forwards. The Super Eagles defeated Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in their opening group game on Tuesday and currently, they are leading their group. Kelechi Iheanacho scored the winning goal and their players contained the threat of Mo Salah well.

Nigeria will be seeking their fourth AFCON title this year. They have already won titles in 1980, 1994 and 2013. The Super Eagles had defeated Burkina Faso in the 2013 edition of the tournament.