GUINEA-BISSAU
It will be the third successive Cup of Nations finals for the small West African country, whose reputation as a rogue and dysfunctional state is the opposite to the growing prominence of their football team.
They were ranked 195th in the world a decade ago after irregular participation in major tournament qualifiers but rose up to a high of 68th place when they were shock qualifiers for a first-ever Cup of Nations appearance in 2017.
Like another former Portuguese colony, Cape Verde, they’ve turned to the migrant community in Europe to significantly strengthen their side.
They went out early in both previous appearances and are still to win a game at the tournament, which will be their primary aim in Cameroon this time round.
KEY PLAYER
The electric 26-year-old winger
Mama Balde hails from Sporting’s prodigious youth factory but has belatedly made his breakthrough in France at Dijon and Troyes, with almost 20 Ligue 1 goals since arriving in 2019.
THE COACH
Baciro Cande had his first stint as coach of the national team from 2003-2008 and the 54-year-old was reappointed in 2016, becoming something of a folk hero at home, where he has won nine league titles with Sporting Bissau, five of them in successive years.