The AFCON excitement is at it’s peak, as the tournament starts in only six days. There are a few countries who are favorites to win the competition and Senegal is one of them. With players like Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli) Abdou Diallo and Idrissa Gana Gueye (Paris Saint Germain) Ismaila Sarr (Watford), Bamba Dieng (Marseille) and Keita Balde (Cagliari), the Teranga Lions will be among teams ready to finally lift the trophy after they lost the finals to Algeria in 2019. Before that, they were runners-up in 2002, when a famous Senegalese forwards was active – El Hadji Diouf. Hornets play dead as Senegal rage over injured Ismaila SarrFormer Liverpool, Blackburn, Bolton, Leeds and Rennes forward played eight years for Senegalese national team, participated in 70 games and scored 24 goals. And Diouf thinks time has come for Senegal to finally win AFCON. In fact, he puts his country as a favorite. “My first favorite is Senegal, who lost last edition final to Algeria, and today we must win. Anything we do without winning the trophy will be failure. There are other great teams, and it will be a very tough competition, perhaps the toughest in recent years and in a country that loves football. It would be a big football party” said Diouf to CAFOnline.com. (1.35) SENEGAL (4.60) ZIMBABWE (10.5)Former Senegal international talked about his country’s failure to win AFCON in recent years, even with a powerful squad full of international stars. “Often there is a lack of national unity around the team. Moreover, I am surprised that currently in Senegal there is lack of enthusiasm. We do not have the feeling that the national team will take part in the Africa Cup of Nations, it is not the case with Cameroon and other countries. We certainly need to change our mindset as spectators and become real supporters” said Diouf. AFCON: Revised Nigeria squad to go after the continental trophyEl Hadji Diouf played in 2002, when Senegal was also a runner-up, and 17 years passed before his country was again in the finals. Former Liverpool striker explained the difference between the two generations of Teranga Lions. “The difference between the two generations is that this one has been fortunate enough to have played together for several years, and to have taken part in many Africa Cup of Nations finals. They’ve played at some big clubs and they’re leaders there. Also, they’ve learned how to win. In our time that was not the case, not all of us played for big clubs. I can say that this generation has everything to win the AFCON title now. These players need the support of all Senegalese” explained Diouf.
