Africa Cup of Nations 2008, team profile:Egypt
January 18, 2008
The Egypt national football team, nicknamed The Pharaohs, is the national team of Egypt and is administered by the Egyptian Football Association.
They were the first African country to participate in the World Cup when they played in 1934, losing to Hungary 4-2. Egypt has qualified for one World Cup since then, going out in the first round in 1990. They were known as the United Arab Republic national football team when Egypt and Syria joined to form the United Arab Republic from 1958 to 1961 and then until 1970, with Egypt alone making up the UAR. They have played for the Bronze Medal in the Olympic Games twice (1928 and 1964), losing both times.
Egypt are the most successful African team at Confederation level, winning the ANC five times: the inaugural African Nations Cup in 1957, and also won the tournament in 1959, 1986, 1998, and 2006.
Team captaim- Ahmed Hassan
TEAM BIO
Nickname: The Pharaohs
Association: Egyptian Football Association
Confederation: CAF (Africa)
Head coach: Hassan Shehata
Captain: Ahmed Hassan
Most caps: Hossam Hassan (170)
Top scorer: Hossam Hassan (69)
Home stadium: Cairo International Stadium
FIFA code: EGY
FIFA ranking: 35
Highest FIFA ranking: 17 (May 1998)
Lowest FIFA ranking: 44 (July 2002, May 2003)
Elo ranking: 32
Highest Elo ranking: 15 (1967 or 1971)
Lowest Elo ranking 62 (March 1986, June 1997)
Notable Player- Mido
Popularity: 1% [?]
Africa Cup of Nations 2008, team profile:Nigeria
January 17, 2008
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Association. The highest position ever reached on the ranking was 5th in April 1994. According to FIFA’s rankings, Nigeria, at 19th, are currently the top team in the African continent.
Nigeria played their first game in October 1949, whilst still a British colony. The team’s first major success was a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa games, with 3rd place finishes in 1976 and 1978’s African Cup of Nations to follow. In 1980 the team had such players as Leyton Orient’s John Cheidozie and the Tunji Banjo, and the Christian Chukwu-led Super Eagles won the Cup for the first time in Lagos. In 1984 and 1988, Nigeria reached the Cup of Nations final, losing both times to Cameroon.
Three of the four African titles won by Cameroon have been won by defeating Nigeria. Missing out to Cameroon on many occasions has created an intense rivalry between both nations. Two notable occasions; narrowly losing out on qualification for 1990 World Cup and then the controversial final of the 2000 African Nations Cup where a goal scored by Victor Ikpeba during a penalty shoot out was disallowed by the referee.
Team captain- Kanu
TEAM BIO
Nickname: Super Eagles
Associatio: Nigeria Football Association
Confederation: CAF (Africa)
Head coach: Berti Vogts, 2007-
Captain: Nwankwo Kanu
Most caps: Mudashiru Lawal (86)
Top scorer: Rashidi Yekini (37)
Home stadium: Abuja Stadium & Surelere Stadium
FIFA code: NGA
FIFA ranking: 20
Highest FIFA ranking: 5 (April 1994)
Lowest FIFA ranking: 82 (November 1999)
Elo ranking: 30
Highest Elo ranking: 14 (May 31 2004)
Lowest Elo ranking: 87 (December 27 1964)
Team star player- John Obi Mikel
Popularity: 1% [?]
Africa Cup of Nations 2008, team profile:Senegal
January 16, 2008
The Senegal national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, is the national team of Senegal and is controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football. It made its first World Cup in 2002 and made quite a splash, pulling a huge upset by defeating world and European champions France 1-0 in the tournament’s opening game.
Senegal’s first appearance in the African Nations Cup was in 1965, when Senegal, after finishing second in their group, lost 1-0 to the Ivory Coast to finish in 4th place. In the 1990 African Nations Cup, Senegal once again finished 4th. Senegal hosted the African Nations Cup in 1992, in which, after qualifying for the quarter finals by finishing second in their group, Senegal lost 1-0 to Nigeria in the quarter finals. Senegal’s best finish in the African Nations Cup came in 2002, when they lost the final on penalties after drawing 0-0 with Cameroon .
Senegal team captain- El-Hadji Diouf
TEAM BIO
Nickname: Les Lions de la Teranga (Lions of Teranga)
Association: Fédération Sénégalaise de Football
Confederation: CAF (Africa)
Head coach: Henryk Kasperczak
Captain: El Hadji Diouf
Most caps: El Hadji Diouf (41)
Top scorer: Mamadou Diallo (21)
Home stadium: Stade Leopold Senghor
FIFA code: SEN
FIFA ranking: 38
Highest FIFA ranking: 26 (June 2004)
Lowest FIFA ranking: 95 (December 1998)
Elo ranking: 46
Notable players-Papa Bouba Diop
Popularity: 2% [?]
Africa Cup of Nations 2008, team profile:Ivory Coast
January 16, 2008
The Côte d’Ivoire national football team (sometimes written “Ivory Coast” in English), nicknamed Les Éléphants (The Elephants), is the national team of Côte d’Ivoire and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football. Until 2005, their greatest accomplishment was winning the 1992 African Cup of Nations against Ghana on penalties at the Stade de l’Amitie in Dakar, Senegal.
On October 8, 2005, they qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, marking their first appearance on the sport’s greatest stage. They were unable to qualify for the second round after losing to experienced teams such as Argentina and Netherlands in the so-called Group of death. They did manage to win one game in Germany, against Serbia and Montenegro, coming back from down 0-2 to win 3-2 on a late penalty kick by Bonaventure Kalou. Many observers of that years tournament said the team would have gone far, if they were not drawn in such a difficult group.
Ivory Coast team captain- Didier Drogba
TEAM BIO
Nickname: Les Éléphants(The Elephants)
Association: Fédération Ivoirienne de Football
Confederation: CAF (Africa)
Head coach: Gerard Gili
Captain: Didier Drogba
Most caps: Cyrille Domoraud & Bonaventure Kalou (51)
Top scorer: Didier Drogba (28)
Home stadium: Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny
FIFA code: CIV
FIFA ranking: 37
Highest FIFA ranking: 18 (August 2006[1])
Lowest FIFA ranking: 75 (March 2004)
Elo ranking: 25
Highest Elo ranking: 20 (March, June 2007)
Lowest Elo ranking: 69 (October 1996)
Notable players- Kolo Toure(Arsenal)
Popularity: 1% [?]
Africa Cup of Nations 2008, team profile:Cameroon
January 16, 2008
Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Lions Indomptables (Indomitable Lions), is the national team of Cameroon and is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football. It is one of Africa’s most successful sides, as Cameroon was the first African team to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup, in 1990, losing to England in extra time. They have also won 4 African Nations Cups, as well as the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Cameroon team captain- Rigobert Song
TEAM BIO
Nickname: Lions Indomptables(Indomitable Lions)
Association: Fédération Camerounaise de Football
Confederation: CAF (Africa)
Head coach: Otto Pfister
Asst coach: Jules Nyongha
Captain: Rigobert Song
Most caps: Rigobert Song (108)
Top scorer: Patrick Mboma (33)
Home stadium: Stade Omnisports
FIFA code: CMR
FIFA ranking: 24
Highest FIFA ranking: 11 (November 2006)
Lowest FIFA ranking: 62 (April 1997)
Elo ranking: 33
Highest Elo ranking: 12 (June 2003)
Lowest Elo ranking: 76 (April 1995)
Cameroon team star- Samuel Eto
Popularity: 1% [?]
