Jules Kounde: Barcelona defender names his favourites for AFCON 2023, snubs West African giants
Jules Kounde has become one of the bookies who have written off Nigeria’s Super Eagles as favourites to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The Barcelona defender agreed there are some strong clubs in the league after spending his summer vacations in Senegal and the Benin Republic, his father’s birthplace.
The defending champions are among Kounde’s favourites to win the continental crown by early February, when the competition ends, according to BSN Sports. “I see AFCON as quite open. I think there are quite a few teams that can compete to win. Senegal has an outstanding, young team with managers with much experience. Above all, they are the reigning champions.” Jules Kounde said.
Jules Koundealso thinks that countries like Algeria, Cameroon, and the host country, Ivory Coast, will be contenders, as will Morocco, the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists. The largest football tournament in Africa will include 24 teams and begin in Ivory Coast on January 13 and run through February 11.
The current champions are the Indomitable Lions of Senegal, who defeated the Pharaohs of Egypt in a thrilling penalty shootout the last time around. Nigeria is ranked fourth by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regarding tickets purchased before the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast the following year, PUNCH reports.
Data from the football governing body’s X (formerly Twitter) account revealed that participants from various countries had bought 12,544 tickets for the competition. With 32,307 AFCON tickets sold, the host nation, Ivory Coast, is on top. Guinea-Bissau (28,614) and Equatorial Guinea (16,237) are in second and third place, respectively.
