Ahead of next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, former Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju, has tagged the trio Nigeria, Egypt and Senegal the favourites to win the tournament, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 34th edition of the AFCON will take place from January 13 to February across five major cities in Ivory Coast.
CAF on Wednesday officially released the provisional lists submitted by all the 24 countries preparing for the showpiece with the football powerhouses naming a very strong squad.
Knowing what it takes to win the AFCON, Adepoju, who was part of the Eagles squad that conquered the continent in Tunisia in 1994, believed there won’t be a winner outside of the former champions.
The 52-year-old retired midfielder played a key role in the country’s road to the final of the competition.
The Ibadan-born midfielder scored a goal at the AFCON after netting in Nigeria’s 3-0 win against Gabon in their Group B game.
“There are many favourites to win the tournament in Ivory Coast and Nigeria are one of them,” Adepoju told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“I will also tip Egypt and Senegal but it is going to be difficult to say who will be the winner until the championship starts because now in football you can really predict what will happen.
“We will wait until the tournament starts and see how it ends but I know Nigeria are among the favourites to win it.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria have been paired in a tricky Group A that has the hosts, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau.
While the Eagles are hoping to win the biennial competition for the fourth time having done so in 1980, 1994 and 2013, Egypt, who are the most successful nation in the cup’s history, having won the tournament seven times, will be hoping to extend their record-winning streaks.
On the other hand, champions, Senegal, will hope to defend their title in Ivory Coast.
