- Salah, the Pharaoh

The untenable "Mo" Salah (29) scored 37 goals for Liverpool in 2021 and remains the main blaster of the "Reds" game.

In the national team too he is the star, with 43 goals in 73 appearances, but he has yet to take his team to the top.

Defeated 2-1 in the final by Cameroon in 2017, he failed pitifully at the Cairo International Stadium in the round of 16 of CAN-2019 at home against South Africa (1-0).

At the 2018 World Cup, he arrived injured, after a tackle from Sergio Ramos in the Champions League final.

He misses the first game and, despite two goals, cannot prevent Egypt from returning from Russia with three defeats.

This CAN is the opportunity to finally win in the national team.

- Mané, the sorcerer

A bit like his partner of the Reds, Sadio Mané (29) shines a little more on the Mersey than on the national team.

Huge star in Senegal, appreciated for his calm and modesty, nicknamed "Ballonbuwa" in his village of Casamance, in the south of Senegal, "the ball wizard" has not yet brought the Lions to their first international title.

He remains on a failed final against Algeria, in 2019 (1-0), like his idol El-Hadji Diouf, ineffective against Cameroon in the 2002 final (0-0, 3 tab to 1).

Senegalese striker Sadio Mané overwhelms Algerian midfielder Adlene Guédioura during the final of the Africa Cup of Nations on July 19, 2019 in Cairo Khaled DESOUKI AFP / Archives

"We must not forget that to write a story you need trophies," he says in the documentary dedicated to him on Rakuten TV, "Sadio Mané, made in Senegal".

- Mendy, the great guardian

European champion with Chelsea, Édouard Mendy (29) is considered the best goalkeeper on the continent, and by far the only African candidate for the Yachine Trophy of the Ballon d'Or evening, where he came second behind Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Senegalese Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy lifts the Champions League trophy after his club's 1-0 victory over Manchester City on May 29, 2021 in Porto Manu Fernandez POOL / AFP / Archives

He has a personal revenge to take after having to abandon the previous CAN before the third match, victim of a broken left hand during the warm-up of the last group match against Kenya.

Alfred Gomis replaced him in goal and could not prevent the defeat in the final against Algeria (1-0) on a deflected strike.

But after a meteoric rise, from unemployment in 2015 to the roof of Europe in 2021, he is ready to rule Africa.

- Mahrez, the captain

Second African player of the Ballon d'Or (20th), unfortunate finalist of the Champions League, Riyad Mahrez (30) is the technical boss, the spark of genius of Algeria.

The star of Manchester City is also the captain of his selection, the idol, especially since his wonderful direct free kick of the last minute to win the semi-final against Nigeria (2-1) in 2019.

The former boy from Sarcelles, in the Parisian suburbs, has already taken the "Greens" to their second victory in the African Cup.

If he kept the trophy, he would do better than Rabah Madjer, the guide to victory in 1990, and the heroes of the 1982 Worlds (victory against the FRG) and 2014 (round of 16).

The joy of the captain and striker of Algeria, Riyad Mahrez, winner with his teammates of the final of the African Cup of Nations against Senegal, July 19, 2019 in Cairo Giuseppe CACACE AFP / Archives

- Haller, the lancer

The top scorer in the current Champions League is Ivorian.

Sébastien Haller (27), the center-forward of Ajax Amsterdam, took over from Didier Drogba in Ivorian hearts.

The joy of the Ivorian striker of Ajax Amsterdam, Sebastien Haller, after scoring the 4th goal against Borussia Dortmund, during their group match of the Champions League, on October 19, 2021 in Amsterdam François WALSCHAERTS AFP / Archives

If he grew up in the southern suburbs of Paris, was trained in Auxerre and selected for the France team until the Espoirs, Haller opted for Côte d'Ivoire, his father's country of origin.

Scorer from his first selection in November 2020, he became the striker the Elephants were waiting for.

"Seb has reached maturity", judge for AFP his coach, Sébastien Beaumelle, who had convinced him to play for the orange jersey.

King of the scorers in C1, "it is only happiness for him: he walks on water, he is a dad, he scores goals".

© 2022 AFP