BURKINA FASO
A workmanlike team who are difficult to beat, as African champions Algeria discovered in the World Cup qualifiers, and with a penchant for creating an upset.
It is a lack of resources, and depth in their squad, that holds them back from higher achievement but their potential was evidenced in 2013 when they got all the way to the final.
There are a handful of survivors from that side who will be seeking to repeat the feat in Cameroon, although a place in the knockout stage is likely to be their immediate ambition.
“Les Etalons” are back after failing to qualify for the last finals in Egypt in 2019 which ended a run of five successive appearances.
KEY PLAYER
Aston Villa’s Bertrand Traore has struggled with a thigh injury recently, with concern over the 26-year-old winger’s fitness for the tournament dominating their preparations; he is key to their hopes of a successful campaign.
THE COACH
Kamou Malo has been coach since mid-2019 as Burkina Faso turned away from a preference for employing European coaches and handed responsibility to one of their own, banking on the 58-year-old’s success in winning domestic league titles to help the fortunes of the national team.