Harambee Stars coach Firat picks his 2023 AFCON favourites
By Joel Sang, January 12, 2024
Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has said teams from West Africa and North Africa are the favourites to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast this year.
The 34th edition will be held in the West African nation, with 24 teams looking to dethrone Senegal, who lifted the trophy in the 2021 edition that was held in Cameroon.
Firat, who is aiming at leading Kenya to the next continental competition, has said the West Africans and North Africans are likely to win this time around, again.
“We have five countries that are favourites to do well this year, and all of them are from North and West Africa. There is a big imbalance on the continent, and it needs to be addressed.”
“To be honest, the favorites are teams from North and West Africa. This is how it has been for a long time, and it will continue again,” Firat said, as quoted by a local publication.
To the Turkish coach, East Africans and their counterparts in the south are not anywhere to challenge the teams from the west and north.
“The East and South African teams are still far behind and need to make drastic measures to put them on par with their peers from the other side of Africa.
“It is not a problem of talent but one of infrastructure, and this is what needs to change,” he added.
Trezeguet hopeful
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan, also known as Trezeguet, has insisted they are going to fight hard and win their eighth title.
“It is not easy. All the African teams are strong and have very good players. We will play all the matches as finals and see what they look like. We came here aiming for a new title. Since our arrival, the entire team has only had one goal: to be crowned champions.
“It is really difficult to lose two finals. It is painful, but we will try again to get the title. We must have what we deserve, and we hope that this time luck will be on our side and that God will help us,” Trezeguet told CAFOnline.
The experienced star will participate in his fourth AFCON final.