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Ed Dove
While the Africa Cup of Nations is regularly lauded as a magnificent opportunity to witness the stars of tomorrow in action, it also gives keen observers of the Africa game the chance to see players who they’d completely forgotten existed.
Whether they’re ageing veterans gunning for that one last shot at glory, or middle-aged journeymen who never realised their potential, here are 15 AFCON-bound players you’d completely forgotten existed.
1. Bruno Ecuele Manga
Six years after leaving Cardiff City following their relegation from the Premier League under Neil Warnock, Ecuele Manga is preparing for his sixth Nations Cup in the yellow of Gabon.
The former Bluebirds Player of the Year is one of the tournament’s veterans at 37, and currently plying his trade with semi-professional Paris 13 Atletico in the third-tier of French football, it will be intriguing to see how he fares against Africa’s finest frontmen.
His career completely unravelled at Everton, where he managed just six league outings in four years after suffering a thigh injury soon after his £25 million move from Mainz, but Gbamin’s versatility has seen him force his way back into the Ivory Coast’s plans.
Now 30, and on the books of Metz, Gbamin missed the Elephants’ success at the last Nations Cup, but now has the opportunity to make up for lost time.
Another questionable inclusion in Emerse Fae’s Ivory Coast squad, Boly is still a Premier League player, on the books of Nottingham Forest, although he hasn’t been used at all in the top flight this season — by any of the club’s three different managers — and you’d be forgiven for forgetting he existed.
Considering Boly only started one Prem game last season as well, Ivorian fans should expect a little rustiness if he takes to the field in Morocco.
Once a stalwart alongside Boly in Wolves’ defence, Saiss represented the Old Gold for six seasons, and was part of the side promoted to the Premier League in 2018.
He won the Qatari title with Al Sadd earlier this year, having been part of the Morocco team that reached the World Cup semifinal in 2022.
Among the grand old names of African football, Onyango is one of Uganda’s greatest ever players, and was influential in the Cranes returning to the AFCON in 2017, for the first time since 1978.
He’s been with Mamelodi Sundowns for 14 years, albeit as a backup these days, and returned to international contention earlier this year after not being used since 2021.
A curious signing for Aston Villa when he moved to Birmingham from Genk for £8.5 million in January 2020, the striker became the first ever Tanzanian player to feature in the Premier League, and even scored in the EFL final as Dean Smith’s side were defeated by Manchester City.
However, it became clear he wasn’t at the level required for the Prem, and moved to Fenerbahce later that year.
Currently with Le Havre, he hasn’t scored in 11 Ligue 1 games this season.
Player of the Tournament at the 2017 Nations Cup, Bassogog seemingly came from nowhere to star at that competition, but never came close to reaching those heights again for club and country.
After spending the best part of a decade in China, he briefly moved to Turkey, and is now playing for Al-Okhdood in the Saudi Pro League.
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One of several questionable call-ups in this Ivory Coast side, Seri was magnificent in his prime with OGC Nice — and was once courted by Barcelona — but now 34, and featuring in Slovenian football for NK Maribor, he’s a curious recall for the Elephants.
The former Fulham and Hull City veteran has played just four league matches throughout the calendar year of 2025, although he does bring the experience of four previous AFCON campaigns, including as the Elephants won the crown in 2023.
9. Didier Ndong
Another midfielder who failed to show his best form in English football is Gabon’s Ndong, who was part of the Sunderland side that was relegated from the Premier League then the Championship in consecutive seasons.
A four-month loan spell at Watford resulted in zero appearances, and he was eventually sacked by Sunderland after failing to report for pre-season. He’s currently playing in Iran with Esteghlal Tehran.
10. Georges-Kevin Nkoudou
Tottenham Hotspur fans would be forgiven for forgetting Nkoudou, who made just 11 league appearances for the London giants across four seasons between 2016 and 2020, without ever leaving an impression.
He was a Turkish double winner with Besiktas in 2021, but never truly realised the potential he demonstrated with a youngster at Nantes and Olympique de Marseille. He’ll join the Cameroon squad from Saudi second-tier side Diriyah Club.
The most high-profile player on this list, Zaha has been recalled to the Ivory Coast set-up following his fine recent form for Charlotte FC, for whom he scored 10 goals as they finished fourth in the regular Major League Soccer season.
Still only 33, Saha struggled to impress on loan at Olympique Lyonnais last season in what may have been his final campaign in Europe, but still has the talent to exhilarate fans as he did during his Crystal Palace heyday.
12. Mohamed Eisa
Eisa has enjoyed fascinating career, as he worked his way through the English lower leagues across five seasons before breaking into the EFL with League Two Cheltenham Town, and duly making a name for himself with 23 goals in 45 appearances.
A Soccer Saturday favourite, he opted to taste life outside of England when he signed for Iran’s Nassaji Mazandaran last year, he’ll now enjoy another first as he prepares for a first Nations Cup with Sudan.
13. Macauley Bonne
Another Football League hero, and another AFCON debutant, Bonne banged in the goals at a prodigious rate while at Leyton Orient between 2017 2019, and has since gone on to feature for Charlton Athletic, Queens Park Rangers and his hometown club, Ipswich Town.
Still only 30, he represents ambitious Maldon & Tiptree in the English eighth tier, and despite making his Zimbabwe debut in 2014, is only now preparing for his first Nations Cup.
The last survivor from Zambia’s AFCON-winning side of 2012, Sunzu stepped up to net the decisive penalty to down the Ivory Coast’s Golden Generation in Libreville and complete a fairytale triumph for the Chipolopolo.
That success catapulted him to Europe, where he represented clubs in France and Russia, before embarking on a journey in Chinese football in 2020.
He’s been with Changchun Yatai since 2024, although his contract is due to expire during the AFCON.
15. Steve Mounie
Mounie built his career on being a fearsome aerial threat, regularly topping competition rankings for ‘aerial battles won’ across his time with Montpellier, Huddersfield Town and Brest.
He’s currently struggling to replicate this same impact in Turkey with Alanyaspor, but remains beloved with Benin, whom he captains.
Two more goals would see the striker equal Stephane Sessegnon’s record as the national team’s top scorer.
