AFCON 2023: Man United Target and Burkina Faso Star Edmond Tapsoba Names His Tournament Favourites

• Edmond Tapsoba has named his favourites to win the 2023 edition of AFCON
• The Burkina Faso defender named previous winners but snubbed top nations
• Tapsoba and Burkina Faso reached the semi-final round of the 2021 AFCON

The eagerly awaited 2023 Africa Cup of Nations is days away, and the build-up wouldn't be fun without players and fans making their predictions.

Burkina Faso star defender, Edmond Tapsoba, is among the most recent to make his picks for the title.

Tapsoba is one of the continent's top defenders and is a target for several European clubs. The Bayer Leverkusen star is hoping to inspire his country to another incredible AFCON performance.

"The Africa Cup of Nations is special for us. We are stronger than we have been in previous editions because we have improved a lot in every position," he said via KingFut.

Ghana's World Cup squad in 2022: Who is in, out, and why?

Football

He was also asked who could lift the title in Cote d'Ivoire. The 24-year-old picked three former winners as favourites but left out some big names.

"I can say that Morocco, Senegal, and Ivory Coast will have a higher chance of winning the tournament than other participating teams."

Morocco's reputation is sky-high after their 2022 World Cup heroics. The Atlas Lions will be under pressure to deliver a title, their first since 1976.

Senegal's 2021 winning squad is largely intact, so everyone expects them to challenge again. Hosts, Cote d'Ivoire will rely on their home advantage to propel them to glory for the first time since 2015.

Tapsoba's career so far

The defender has played almost every minute of Bayer Leverkusen's 2023/24 games in all competitions. He has started 13 of the 15 Bundesliga games he was in the squad, per Transfermarkt.

Tapsoba signed for Leverkusen in January 2020 from Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes. He has played for Xabi Alonso's side since the 2019/20 season and made over 150 appearances for the German club.

Mamelodi Sundowns' continental dominance a good omen for Bafana Bafana says former Kaizer Chiefs player

Football

Premier League sides Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea have all been linked with the defender. He made his Burkina Faso debut in 2016 and has played 38 times for his country.

Burkina Faso named as AFCON 2023 underdogs

Sports Brief also previously named Burkina Faso as an AFCON underdog alongside four other national teams, including South Africa and Guinea.

The Stallions have put together consistent performances over the years, having finished second in 2013, third in 2017, and fourth in the 2021 edition.

Burkina Faso are in Group D alongside 2019 champions Algeria, Mauritania, and Angola and will rely on stars like Tapsoba to create big upsets.