On the eve of the Africa Cup of Nations, Kalidou Koulibaly leans ahead and makes an enormous assertion. “This AFCON will be one of the best,” he tells Sky Sports activities from Senegal’s camp within the Ivory Coast.
It’s maybe uncommon for the captain of the event holders to lavish reward on his staff’s competitors. However that simply sums up the AFCON spirit. This competitors isn’t about Senegal, nor another nation. It is an opportunity for all the continent to indicate its high quality by itself stage.
This unity has been seen in latest World Cups: all the continent getting behind Ghana in 2010 because the final African staff standing. The identical with Morocco – who turned the primary African facet to ever attain the final 4 in Qatar 2022.
Now Africa stands as one once more amid latest upheaval in its continental competitors. It was moved again to the winter two years in the past resulting from an lack of ability to play in the summertime warmth, thereby citing the mid-season ‘membership vs nation’ row. However the variety of high quality gamers out within the Ivory Coast proper now exhibits the worth of this event.
“Us older players, we have to be proud to be African and to respect our national team and play for our national team,” says Koulibaly.
“For me, Africa would be the future. I hope everyone is acutely aware of that and they’ll do the whole lot to make African soccer go up.
“For me, it is not nearly Senegal, it is about Africa. Now we have to work collectively to make the extent of Africa go up.
“We can see that in the World Cup with Morocco going into the semi-finals. Everyone was happy, but for me it was normal because we deserved it. We can show in the future that African teams can be ready to win a World Cup soon.”
Proper now, nevertheless, the pondering is on AFCON and this event’s major magnificence is its unpredictability. In contrast to the ever-popular World Cup, no staff has ever received it twice in a row and present holders Senegal, together with their captain, settle for this narrative.
“We think about it – but we know that every AFCON has its story. Now it’s a new story because you have a lot of teams who will be ready to win the title. We want to be part of those teams,” provides Koulibaly.
“We know it will be really difficult for us because nobody wants a team to win it two times in a row. But we want to make it the story in our country.
“Will probably be very troublesome as a result of Cameroon, Algeria, Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria – everyone is prepared for this competitors. For a very long time, we’ve not seen so lots of the massive groups so in kind.
“We’re going to see good competition and a good level – and the winner of this AFCON will have a lot of success in the future.
“Now we have numerous groups which we’re 100 per cent certain of, however some groups we’re not. As a result of in AFCON, it is not simple. You may have the temperature, the local weather, the pitch, the time of while you play, we should take the whole lot into consideration.
“So I can’t tell you if we’re better than two years ago, but for sure we are more experienced. This is sure. The rest? We will see at the end of the competition. But I think Senegal have what it takes to see out AFCON.”
Senegal in solidarity as Jackson approaches massive stage
Unity was additionally the secret for Senegal two years in the past in Cameroon, as Koulibaly led his staff to its first-ever AFCON title.
The defender, alongside goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and others, missed the primary two video games resulting from a coronavirus outbreak amongst a number of the squad. It threatened to derail their marketing campaign, however the method of restoration was one of many massive classes realized.
Requested in regards to the secrets and techniques to their success, Koulibaly replies: “The solidarity. We had a lot of difficulties at the beginning of the last AFCON.
“We had Covid so numerous gamers had been absent for the primary video games. We missed 4 or 5 gamers from the 2 first video games, it was actually troublesome.
“It was really difficult watching those games in my room, alone with Edouard Mendy. But today, solidarity will help us win the title and to win games.”
Maybe this 12 months, that solidarity will likely be useful for Nicolas Jackson, a striker wanting and wasteful at Chelsea this season. The ahead joins Koulibaly, previously of the Blues himself, within the Senegal squad for this tournamenet – however there’s sympathy from the nationwide staff captain about life at Stamford Bridge.
“I know that at Chelsea, it’s difficult to be a striker today,” he says. “I was there last year and saw it was very difficult to score goals, and he has seven already? You can see it’s a good start for him.
“Perhaps individuals are ready for extra from him, however do not forget he is a younger participant and it is a first 12 months for him within the Premier League.
“We in the national team give him a lot of advice. Me and Edouard Mendy, who was also at Chelsea, we know what the club is like and we know the people are there and we know he will have a great future over there if he keeps working like he was working. Not speaking, just working – this is the key.
“We all know the large golf equipment, they need numerous issues from strikers as a result of Chelsea have numerous good historical past with strikers – Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o. These gamers had been wonderful and at this time they’re on the lookout for the historic striker and it is troublesome to offer that work to Nico.”
‘You can play in Saudi and be competitive’
Two years in the past, Senegal’s captain, goalkeeper and star participant had been all taking part in at Champions League-level golf equipment. Now Koulibaly, Mendy and Sadio Mane all ply their trades in Saudi Arabia.
Koulibaly, of present Saudi top-flight leaders Al Hilal, was one of many first gamers in Europe to leap throughout to the Center East nation – and now he desires to be the primary to indicate that such a transfer may also help affect success on the worldwide stage.
“Everyone was thinking: ‘nah, he’s ended up in Saudi Arabia, it will be easy. He will just go to training, take the money and go home’. But it’s not like this,” Koulibaly says.
“When I signed there, it was first to win titles with my club. Secondly, it was about having games to play – as I was not playing a lot at Chelsea. It was difficult for me to show my level, a player used to playing every game, playing one game yes and four games no. The third reason was the project of the Saudi Arabia league.
“We will see that everyone is comfortable, Sadio is comfortable in his membership, Edou is just too. Crucial is to deliver this positivity to the nationwide staff and for us it is necessary. Individuals are writing numerous issues about us, we now have to indicate them that it’s not a trip in Saudi Arabia – nevertheless it was working to be prepared for this AFCON.
“I won’t lie to you, it’s an opportunity to show everybody that you can play in Saudi Arabia and win titles with your national teams. Everybody was asking questions when we signed over there – but when they see the level we have in the national team, we have the same as the others.
“Our goal is to win the AFCON – will probably be troublesome, we all know it – and we’ll give the whole lot for this goal. However my second goal is to indicate that in Saudi Arabia, you may play in league with numerous good gamers and be aggressive within the nationwide staff.”
Kalidou Koulibaly spoke to Sky Sports activities representing PUMA, who’ve signed long-term settlement to turn out to be the official technical accomplice of CAF. PUMA will likely be supplying the official match ball at CAF tournaments, offering the equipment for referees, and fascinating in a number of advertising alternatives, each inside and outdoors of the stadium.
Watch each match of this 12 months’s Africa Cup of Nations reside on Sky Sports activities, together with Senegal’s opening match vs Gambia on Monday, kick-off 2pm