Morocco legend Mustapha El Haddaoui has tipped Nigeria’s Super Eagles as one of the teams capable of making a deep run at this year’s AFCON.
The Super Eagles, who topped Group C with nine points, will face Mozambique in the round of 16. Eric Chelle’s side secured a 2-1 victory over Tanzania, edged Tunisia 3-2, and overcame Uganda 3-2 in their group matches.
In an exclusive conversation with CAFonline.com, El Haddaoui, the only Moroccan to feature at both the 1986 and 1994 FIFA World Cups, shared his thoughts on the tournament favorites, “I don’t think the surprise will come from an average or unknown team. I believe the champion will be one of the big teams, led by an experienced coach who knows how to manage situations and has top-quality players at his disposal.
Teams like Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, DR Congo, and Cameroon all have the potential to go far in the competition.”
When asked which teams have impressed him so far, he added, “Teams like Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Senegal, and Nigeria have all made strong starts. Each of these teams has something to say in this competition, which will make the upcoming rounds exciting and intense.”
On the overall level of competition after the group stage, El Haddaoui noted, “Some matches were very strong, while others were more average, depending on the strength of the teams involved. The stronger teams and title contenders have deep squads, which makes their matches more competitive.
“Other teams have less depth on the bench, and this tournament gives them an opportunity to compete at a high level and raise their standards. This also serves as a platform to market African players, helping them earn moves to major European clubs, further develop themselves, and bring that experience back to their national teams. I hope this will be the best edition of the tournament ever organized.”*
Reflecting on the tournament’s atmosphere compared to his playing days, El Haddaoui said, “I had the privilege of taking part in the 1988 AFCON, which was also hosted by Morocco. Unfortunately, we did not manage to win the title, as we were eliminated in the semi-finals by Cameroon, who went on to lift the trophy.
“The atmosphere is honestly very different between the two editions. Today, the number of participating teams has increased, infrastructure is of a very high standard, stadiums are excellent, hotels and training facilities are well equipped, and transportation is well organized. We even saw CAF President Patrice Motsepe attend three matches in one day across three different cities.”
