Africa Cup of Nations 2024 Betting Tips

AFCON 2024 Tournament Predictions

This weekend the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off with Senegal slight favourites in the football betting odds to retain the crown they won on penalties two years ago. 

Elsewhere, there are a plethora of other superbly put together sides in the running. Indeed, this is as open a field as can possibly be hoped for, with at least six nations serious contenders, and another three far too good to be considered outsiders. 

Before we break down the stand-out candidates, however, some admin is necessary, to explain why this tournament is being held in January, when originally it was scheduled for last June.

In recent months it has become the norm for AFCON to coincide with summer months in the northern hemisphere, with powerful European clubs finally getting their way about no longer losing their star players mid-season.

So it was that this competition was supposed to take place in the Ivory Coast six months ago.

Only then, an especially bad rainy season was anticipated, meaning the tournament was postponed until now. This has resulted in AFCON 2023 confusingly being held at the start of 2024.

It also means that over the next couple of weeks, stretching to four weeks for the most successful teams, Premier League clubs will be without 31 of their players, as much, or as little, as that matters.

But back to those favourites, from which Senegal have a slight edge having won AFCON last time around and furthermore reached the final in 2019. 

With long-standing coach Aliou Cisse at the helm, the Lions of Teranga will no doubt be deployed in a 4-3-3 set-up, a formation that has served them very well in recent years.

At the back Kalidou Koulibaly and Moussa Niakhate are rock-solid, the latter so often outstanding for Nottingham Forest this term. In midfield the vast experience of Idrissa Gueye compliments the energy of Tottenham’s Pape Matar Sarr.

Up front, meanwhile, the nation that exited last winter’s World Cup courtesy of England in the last 16, arguably possess the most formidable array of attacking options. 

Sadio Mane’s attributes need little introduction. Alongside the former Liverpool ace, Nicolas Jackson has started to prove his worth at Chelsea with seven goal involvements in his last nine club starts.

There are goals in this team and perhaps the only negative concerning their prospects is a tough group pairing with Cameroon.

Five times winners of the tournament, the Indomitable Lions certainly head to South-West Africa accompanied by high expectations with Cameroonian journalists insisting this is their time to atone after falling short in 2021, finishing third despite hosting the event. 

With Vincent Aboubaker – scorer of 37 goals in 98 international appearances – and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in their ranks, Cameroon are a match for anybody, but 12 months of poor form is naturally a worry, a litany of draws and losses not helped by Rigobert Song failing to settle on his strongest eleven. 

Besides, Group C also contains Gambia, the surprise package last time who are more than capable of offering up an upset or two.

Their football may be pragmatic, bordering on the boring, but conversely goals – both for and against - follow Tom Saintfiet's team around with welcome regularity. 

In Group F, Morocco should progress with ease, and moreover Walid Regragui’s men are strongly fancied in the sports betting to at least reach the last four having done precisely this against all odds in Qatar.

There is an irony to this thinking in that the Atlas Lions have yet to reach a semi-final at AFCON in nine times of trying but with a defence featuring Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd and Romain Saiss you can see the logic. 

And going forward, Hakim Ziyech can always be relied upon to pull off something spectacular on the biggest stage.

Egypt too are widely tipped to prevail and understandably so given their fantastic track record at AFCON.

The Mo Salah-inspired Pharaohs have finished runner-up in two of the last three tournaments but ominously have enjoyed an imperious 2023, losing only once. 

Lastly, there is Ivory Coast to consider, winners of AFCON in 2015. No host nation has triumphed for nearly two decades but when a country has so many attacking options they can afford to omit Wilfried Zaha they have to be taken very seriously. 

Midfielder Frank Kessie is their player to watch, the ex-Milan star excelling in Saudi Arabia, and as for team form the Elephants have scored a remarkable 16 times in their last three outings. 

Senegal are the team to beat. The Ivory Cast may just be the team to beat them. 

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Disappointing Ravens Lost Their Character

The Baltimore Ravens to me were the most complete team in the NFL. They had a Championship defence which really didn’t let the side down too much – it was their offence that did. 

The game against the Chiefs showed us that it is all about playing your best football and being in form at that exact moment.

The Ravens didn’t stick to what had been working so well for them and they got pushed out of the running element of the game. In the playoffs, you have to be able to do what you do best, even if the opposition try to stop it.

The Ravens didn’t do what they had been doing all season, despite the fact that it was what got them to the playoffs in the first place.

They were trying to pass and be a drop-back team, it just didn’t work. They lost their character at the most valuable time. That was the most disappointing part – they didn’t go out playing their way. I feel for them. 

Mahomes has more talent that Brady

The Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes have had to overcome so much this season. They’ve had a great storyline and they’ve completely morphed into a new identity, now they’re back in the Super Bowl.

That is what Tom Brady had to do every year and we’re witnessing that with Mahomes now. 

We may never see this again, because we’re seeing a guy in Mahomes who has more talent than Tom Brady, who has the ability to chase greatness.

He is changing the way he goes about his game and that is what great players are to do. I’m excited to see him in the Super Bowl. 

Purdy can be “that guy” for San Fran

San Francisco have a team philosophy that is directed by one person, Kyle Shanahan, and it has worked.

The only thing that has prevented him from winning the Super Bowl is not having a guy like Patrick Mahomes; Brock Purdy can become that guy, but it will be hard to slay the dragon that is Mahomes.

Confidence is key in the Super Bowl and Brock Purdy came back and made plays when the game was on the line against the Lions, so he will be full of confidence.

Not only does he now believe that he can get it done, but his teammates believe as well. That is a formula for success.

Kelce will be rolling for the Super Bowl 

Kyle Shanahan has to outwit Steve Spagnuolo’s Chiefs defence. That is the key.

This is what is so fascinating, when you look at the two teams, they are stacked with experience in play calling and head coaching but I don’t think Shanahan can outwit Andy Reid, so it will be all about who cracks first.

The thing about Chief’s head coach, Andy Reid, is that he knows how to win a game and he doesn’t tend to get pushed away from his own strategy. This game will be about who panics first. I just don’t know who that is going to be. 

Looking at Kansas City’s playmakers, Travis Kelce is not young so rest will be important, but he seemed so fresh last game. He is going to have two weeks off and that is when he can get on a roll.

The way Rashee Rice is playing as well, he sees the game in the same way as Mahomes so they’re both comfortable. That allows Kelce to find those open spaces. You watch them and just think ‘this is what great NFL football looks like’.