The AFCON tournament kicks off this weekend so we asked TRUE Africa contributors and friends from across the continent and diaspora to tell us which team they’re supporting, who has a chance of winning and which upsets won’t surprise them.
Some names kept popping up like Sadio Mané – ‘if he’s on form’ – and of course Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. While Morocco and Uganda were some of the countries a few of our contributors and readers thought might deliver shocks. What do you think?
Ladi is a Nigerian Arsenal fan who’ll be watching the tournament from New York.
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Not supporting any teams because we didn’t qualify.
Who will be player of the tournament? Aubameyang – because he’s the best African player right now
Who should we keep our eye on? Keep an eye for Riyad Mahrez and Algeria. They were good enough to make the World Cup and they could do some damage.
Hamet, Benin, is a Chelsea fan ‘Blue for life’
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Ivory Coast (the closest country)
Which country do you think is going to win AFCON? Ivory Coast cause it’s the best team on paper
Who’ll be player of the tournament? Aubameyang – playing at home and best African player at the moment
Who should we keep our eye on for the biggest surprise? Uganda
Gunners fan Abu Mansur is one of our regular sports writers.
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Algeria
Which country do you think is going to win AFCON? Algeria, because I feel they have the most compact team among the contesting countries. They have been able to keep the focal point of their team from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and look a very bet for the AFCON title. He knows how vital this tourney is for his country and will like to live up to expectations by guiding the North Africans to their second ever AFCON trophy.
Who’ll be player of the tournament? Yacine Brahimi (Algeria). Apart from enjoying another good season with Porto FC in the Portuguese top flight, Brahimi always delivers when wearing the Desert Foxes jersey.
Who should we keep our eye on for the biggest surprise? For this I will go for Gabon and Pierre Aubameyang. Gabon, though underdogs in African football, have been able to develop a good team in the last couple of years and will want to prove in this AFCON – especially as hosts. Aubameyang on the other hand has proven himself as one of the best in the world at this time and now will want to prove that he has what it takes to deliver on any stage.
Man-Utd fan Kojo is from Ghana
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Ghana
Which country do you think is going to win AFCON? Ghana – it’s about time
Who’ll be player of the tournament? Sadio Mané – if he’s on form
Who should we keep our eye on? Ivory Coast and Egypt.
Bode is Nigerian and a Man Utd fan
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Gabon
Which country do you think is going to win AFCON? Ivory Coast – they’re defending champions and have too much talent
Who’ll be player of the tournament? Zaha.. boy is hungry to shine
Who should we keep our eye on? Watch out for Mahrez. Tough group but he needs a big tournament for a summer move. Uganda are my underdogs.
Oumar is Senegalese and a Spurs supporter
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Senegal
Which country is going to win AFCON? Senegal – they’re the best team on paper
Who’ll be player of the tournament? Mané – he is ready to deliver the title for Senegal
Who should we keep our eye on? Algeria
Tomi is from Nigeria. He’s an Arsenal fan.
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Senegal
Which country is going to win AFCON? Since Nigeria isn’t participating, it has to be Morocco. They have a solid squad, and with two-time AFCON winner, Hervé Renard coaching the side, Morocco are going to have a great tournament.
Who’ll be player of the tournament? I have to go with Sadio Mané. Because he is a player that always puts 100 per cent whether playing for his country or club.
Who should we keep our eye on? I think Uganda might surprise everyone in this tournament. They barely made it to the tournament, but I think they have some a solid and cohesive squad.
Chelsea-loving Babacar Diarra is one of our sport writers – he’ll be watching AFCON from France (even though he is Senegalese).
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Senegal
Which country is going to win AFCON? Morocco because Hervé Renard is looking for a three-peat with three differents nations
Who’ll be player of the tournament? Mohamed Salah may score a lot of goals for its first Afcon
Who should we keep our eye on? I think Jonathan Kodjia who is playing for Aston Villa (Championship) will attract some top Premier League clubs after the tournament.
Samindra is a sports journalist who’s just written about Pierre Emerick Aubameyang for us. He’s an Arsenal supporter who’ll be watching the tournament from Belgium.
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Cameroon
Which country is going to win AFCON? Based on their talented squad Algeria should, but Ivory Coast are my favorites. They have a fine blend of experienced and youthful players.
Who’ll be player of the tournament? If Senegal click, Sadio Mané with his lethal finishing can be the standout player.
Who should we keep our eye on? Morocco. They were not very convincing in qualifying, but maybe Herve Renard, who won the African Cup of Nations with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, can work his magic again.
Carlos is from Angola and a keen Barcelona fan.
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Ghana
Which country is going to win AFCON? Ghana. So many people have forgotten that Ghana have a great squad and were finalist two years ago.
Who’ll be player of the tournament? Andre Ayew. He will show fans that he is up to the task of being an established Premier League player
Who should we keep our eye on? Jeffery Schlupp. Just because he’s Ghanaian and he plays for the best team in the EPL last season. Leicester!!!!
West Ham supporter Manitou is from the DRC but he’ll be watching it from London.
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? I ‘ll be cheering for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Which country is going to win AFCON?I can t bet against Ivory Coast. They have the most complete team in the tournament, with top players in defence, wing, midfield and attack.
Who’ll be player of the tournament? People should keep an eye on Wilfred Zaha. He s make great strides this year; he’s now scoring goals regularly. With Drogba retired, he ‘ll stake his claim to be the next leader of the team and the best player in Africa.
Who should we keep our eye on? Although he is a defender, Eric Bailly could end up being the best player of the tournament. He s settled easily at Manchester United and he has a for mature style for someone so young.
Arsenal supporter Shingai writes for us. He lives in Joburg (where he supports the Kaizer Chiefs) but is originally from Zimbabwe.
Which team are you supporting at AFCON? Zimbabwe
Who’ll be player of the tournament?Andrew Ayew. He’s a proven goal scorer in some of the biggest leagues in the world and I think he feels he has a point to prove on the international stage.
Which country is going to win AFCON? Ghana. They easily have the strongest all-round team and I think they’ll be buoyed by their penalty shoot-out loss as the previous tournament.
Who should we keep our eye on? Aubameyang and Gabon.
Which teams and players are you betting on? Please let us know on Twitter and Facebook