AFCON 2023: Koulibaly Says Senegal Will Face Tough Test to Retain Title

• Kalidou Koulibaly cannot wait for AFCON 2023 to kick off
• The Al-Hilal defender led Senegal to a maiden title in 2021
• AFCON 2023 takes place from January 13 to February 11

Kalidou Koulibaly is impressed with the calibre of teams present at the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations and has stated that this year’s competition will be the best in CAF’s history.

Defending champions Senegal, seven-time winners Egypt, and five-time winners Cameroon are some of the major teams set to battle it out for Africa’s biggest football prize in Ivory Coast.

According to CAF Online, Koulibaly admitted the Teranga Lions would face a tougher challenge to retain their title because of the presence of the top teams and the winner would have to truly earn it.

"I think that the Côte d’Ivoire edition will be the best in the history of the competition because all the big teams are present and are fully prepared. It will show the true image of African football, and I think that whoever wins the title in the end will deserve it."

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Senegal has been put into one of the competition's hardest groups, which includes five-time winners Cameroon, The Gambia, and Guinea, all of whom will offer serious threats to the reigning champions.

Senegal must learn from Nigeria

Meanwhile, Senegal have been tipped to retain their Africa Cup of Nations title after claiming it for the first time at the 2021 tournament in Cameroon, Complete Sports reports.

However, the Teranga Lions must learn from six countries, including Nigeria, who won the AFCON title for the first time but crashed out in the group stage at the next edition.

Nigeria won the tournament thanks to a 3-0 win against Algeria in the 1980 final, but at the 1982 edition, crashed out after placing third in Group B with one win and two defeats.

AFCON champions Senegal arrive in Abidjan

Sports Brief also previously reported that Senegal has arrived in Ivory Coast in fine form to defend their Africa Cup of Nations.

The Teranga Lions, led by newly-wedded Al-Nassr star, Sadio Mane, arrived in Abidjan in style early on Wednesday morning.