Africa’s 24 best football teams will from tomorrow night go to battle at the 35th AFCON in the beautiful North African Kingdom of Morocco.
Home team Morocco, who have in recent years become a popular hub for The Beautiful Game as well as a growing power of the sport, will get the ball rolling against giant killers Comoros Islands, whose scalps have included Ghana and Tunisia.
The Atlas Lions of Morocco are one of the favourites to win this tournament to add to their one and only triumph in 1976.
Defending champions Cote d’Ivoire, record winners Egypt and Senegal will again be top contenders.
Maroc achieved international greatness when they became the first African team to reach the semifinals of the World Cup three years ago.
They have listed on their final squad reigning African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi, who is fighting to be fit so as to perform in front of the partisan home fans.
This AFCON has not been without its familiar club vs country row as many of the players who will be on display in Morocco ply their trade overseas.
World football governing body FIFA did not show respect to this proud continental event by allowing only a week for the teams to get their stars to training camp even after the tournament was moved to accommodate other international events.
That cannot be the case for the Euros or the Copa America.
All the same, Maroc will again be a great host since they last staged the AFCON in 1988.
So, let this Greatest Show begin.
