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12 Young Players To Watch Out For At AFCON 2015

12 Young Players To Watch Out For At AFCON 2015

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With the Africa Cup of Nations just a month away, AFKSports takes a look at the best young players under the age of 22 looking to make their names in Equatorial Guinea.

Some of these starlets are established household names while others are unknown up and comers. But we can guarantee that all are bound to catch your eye come January 17.

bertrand telegraoh
telegraph.co.uk

Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso)

At the tender age of 19, Bertrand Traore is already one of the more experienced members of the Burkina Faso national team. Traore has been playing international football since the age of 16 and is now one of Chelsea Football Club’s most exciting prospects. Jose Mourinho decided to send the attacking midfielder on loan at Vitesse where he has refined his impressive skillset. Traore is now a consistent set-piece threat, but he can also hurt defences with his tricky dribbling and powerful shooting. He will be a crucial member of a Burkinabe side that largely relies on individualities to fashion goalscoring opportunities.


girondins.com poko

Andre Biyogo Poko (Gabon)

Standing at a relatively meager 1.75m, Poko makes up for his small stature with his truly boundless energy. He fits the mad-dog mould of midfielder that can put in a tackle at one end of the pitch and finish an attacking action at the other. His wiry frame is slight, but deceptively strong, and allows for lung-bursting runs for the duration of the match. Poko is expected to be coupled with fellow box-to-box dynamo Ibrahim Ndong, with whom he has hitherto formed a fantastic relationship.

diwanfm.net
diwanfm.net

Didier Ibrahim Ndong (Gabon)

Ibrahim Ndong is perhaps Africa’s most exciting domestic talent. He fits a rare breed of midfielder that is just as comfortable in defence as in attack. The CS Sfaxien midfielder is a hot commodity and has now decided to stop training after his club rejected a 1 million euro transfer to French club Lorient. Ndong has been an integral part of Sfax’s midfield for the last two years, and even if his antics don’t force a move in the immediate future, he has a bright future ahead of him.

africatopsports.com
africatopsports.com

Kader Bidimbou (Congo)

Another of the young players at just 15 years of age, is Bidimbou. He was a member of Congo Brazzaville’s talented 2011 U17 generation that participated in the World Cup in Mexico. The AC Leopards striker has continued to develop on the continental level, as he lead the CAF Confederation Cup in scoring with six goals, including a sumptuous hat-trick against Cameroon champions Cotonsport. It is safe to assume Bidimbou will play a critical role for Claude LeRoy in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations off of the bench.

bbc.co.uk
bbc.co.uk

Roger Assale (Cote D’Ivoire)

Cote D’Ivoire club Sewe Sport have been a pleasant surprise in the CAF Confederation Cup and they owe much of their success to 21 year-old striker Roger Assale. The Ivorian international scored in the first leg of the Confederation Cup final against Egyptian giants Al Ahly and spawned problems for the Club of the Century in the return leg in Cairo. Assale’s pace offers coach Herve Renard an alternative option which might see him push the likes of Wilfried Bony, and Lacine Traore for game time in Equatorial Guinea. 

africatopsports.com
africatopsports.com

Nabil Bentaleb (Algeria)

It has only been twelve months since Nabil Bentaleb made his debut for Tottenham Hotspur. In that time, he has also made his international debut with Algeria and played three matches at the FIFA World Cup. His calm, assured, metronomic passing facilititates the possession-based style Tottenham and Algeria like to play. On form, Bentaleb has become Tottenham’s best central midfielder and it is a testament to his progress that many Spurs fans now wonder how they will cope with his departure in January.

moguldom.com
moguldom.com

Serge Aurier (Cote D’Ivoire)

Serge Aurier is one of world football’s most attacking fullbacks. The Ivorian defender can dribble, cross, and is also an aerial threat from lateral deliveries and set-pieces. Considering the disastrous state of Les Elephants’ defence, Herve Renard might opt for an attacking approach to try and outscore opponents. Aurier will be a very big part of any such plans with his overlapping runs. Though he is in the list of impressive young players, he seems much older than he is due to his presence at the top of world football for some time now.

dailystar.co.uk
dailystar.co.uk

Clinton N’Jie (Cameroon)

Clinton N’Jie is one of several African players that have emerged from Lyon’s prestigious academy. The precocious striker was first drafted into this Cameroon side after Samuel Eto’o ratified his international retirement following a calamitous showing at the World Cup. In his wake, N’Jie has struck a dynamic relationship with Vincent Aboubakar and their complementary partnership has more than made up for Eto’o’s retirement. N’Jie uses his pace to effectively run the channels, while Aboubakar is more of a serial poacher waiting to capitalize on half-chances.

culeswoles13.blogspot.com
culeswoles13.blogspot.com

Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon)

Cameroon have Africa’s richest goalkeeping tradition, so it is no surprise that the Indomitable Lions have produced yet another formidable shot-stopper. Ondoa has broken into a talent-laden field, keeping the likes of Charles Itandje, Guy N’Dy Assembe, and Carlos Kameni on the substitute’s bench. Just 18 years of age, Ondoa carries himself with a maturity that belies his youth. The Barcelona B keeper is creating a buzz in Spain and accumulating experience at the continental’s most prestigious tournament will only further enhance an already esteemed reputation.

girondins.com
girondins.com

Issiaga Sylla (Guinea)

Still only twenty years of age, Issiaga Sylla remains an unknown quantity with his club and country. The Guinean wingman can deputize on either side of defence or as a wingback in Toulouse’s five-man midfield. His pace is a major asset as it facilitates counter-attacking opportunities that Michel Dussuyer will look to employ against Group D heavyweights. He is another of the young players to keep an eye on.

goal.com
goal.com

Baba Rahman (Ghana)

Baba Abdul Rahman has managed to maintain the good form he began at Greuther Furth with his new club Augsburg. The 20 year-old fullback boasts the highest tackle rate in the Bundesliga. However, Rahman is not a merely a shutdown defender, as he leads his team with four assists from the left flank. His performances this season with Augsburg elicited the interest of several elite clubs, and have also cemented his place with the Black Stars (a team that thrives on producing quality young players).

abeid bbc

Mehdi Abeid (Algeria)

Man of the match performances against Liverpool and Manchester City have earned Newcastle midfielder Mehdi Abeid a place in Algeria’s AFCON squad, and a spot on our list of excellent young players. Abeid is a player that is usually very composed on the ball and completes a high number of passes and tackles per match. Though it will be hard to displace highly talented teammates like Medhi Lacen, Saphir Taider, and Nabil Bentaleb, Abeid has a good chance of contributing fresh legs in the engine room during matches against physical opposition.