We’re just a week away from the start of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast.
This is one of those international tournaments I’ve been drawn to since a young age.
I recall being, in hindsight, far more excited than I should’ve been on hearing the news of my club, Manchester United, signing up an at the time unknown striker called ‘Manucho’ in December 2007 and marking every Angola match for the AFCON 2024 tournament in my calendar so I could carry out my due diligence on Sir Alex Ferguson’s new addition.
Manucho’s Manchester United career wasn’t the fairy tale I thought it might’ve been on first hearing of his signing from Angolan side Petro Atlético — he’d go on to make just one competitive appearance for the EPL giants!
However, he did enjoy a stellar 2008 AFCON in which he scored four goals, second only to Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o, and made the Team of the Tournament.
It’s never a good idea to judge a player purely on their form in an international tournament.
Tournaments like AFCON, the Euros and, indeed, the FIFA World Cup can feel longer than they are; they occur over a short period with very specific conditions that don’t always reflect a player’s true level and mislead clubs into pursuing players whose flaws and real quality would become apparent with extensive scouting.
As already mentioned, though, I love tournament football, even if it does dupe people into overhyping talents at times.
It can also provide players with a platform to showcase their qualities to a larger audience and act as a career launchpad.
In this AFCON 2024 scout report, we’ve picked out five U23 forwards set to lead the line for their respective countries at this tournament, who you should watch out for and keep a close eye on.
All of these players have demonstrated a certain level of skill in leagues of high quality at club level and are poised to progress beyond that level in the near future, regardless of their individual performances over the next month.
With that said, they’ll be looking to shine on a global platform in the Ivory Coast over the next few weeks and demonstrate the quality they’ve shown in their respective domestic leagues on the international stage.
This tactical analysis piece will provide an analysis of these players’ qualities based on their performances, mainly at club level but also taking international performances into account over the last year.
We’ll examine these players’ ideal roles within their teams’ tactics, key strengths and weaknesses and what can be expected from them in the Ivory Coast.
So, let’s get going.
Karim Konaté, 19 years old, Ivory Coast and Red Bull Salzburg
Starting strong, the first of our five forwards is the current joint-top goalscorer in the Austrian Bundesliga, Red Bull Salzburg’s Karim Konaté (178cm/5’10, 68kg/150lbs).
The 19-year-old has enjoyed a real breakout season at club level this term, but with just 11 international appearances to his name thus far, he’ll be looking to take his opportunity to put a marker down and make a case for why the Ivory Coast number nine position should be his in this tournament.
Konaté takes plenty of shots, playing for a team in Red Bull Salzburg who typically dominate their domestic competition.
However, he doesn’t take a crazy amount of shots and is not erratic in front of goal.
Taking a look at his Salzburg shot map from the 2023/24 campaign, we can see that with his 0.18 xG per shot, he tends to take high-percentage chances from good positions that would be likely to yield success — he’s definitely not a wasteful forward, he’ll be occupying valuable positions, and if his team can find him there, he won’t miss many as he possesses a good blend of power and accuracy in his goal attempts.
Konaté also dribbles a lot, which we can also surmise from the pizza charts above in figure 1.
We see a map of his penetrating carries from the 2023/24 campaign to date in figure 3, highlighting how the majority of his carries come from the left; the Ivorian normally plays on the left of a front two at club level.
On and off the ball, Konaté possesses a tonne of pace.
This, combined with impressive balance, makes him difficult to knock off his stride.
This goes for his straight-line running as well as when turning; the striker frequently displays a burst of pace when turning inside or out, which helps him to escape defenders quickly after moving past them.
With his back to goal, Konaté has a decent level of physicality and does well to make himself an option for teammates and link-up via one-twos.
However, he does sometimes have quite a heavy first touch, and anything other than a basic pass is also liable to be played too strong, potentially killing the attack — his passing and general ball control is undoubtedly an area for improvement.
His physicality does help him to protect the ball and contest for the ball defensively, though.
Konaté is quite diligent in his defensive work and never shuns from chasing down opponents to regain possession.
He’s quick to close players down as he seeks a recovery but could do with improving his overall defensive positioning so he doesn’t have to rely on his physicality so much without the ball to get close to the target.
At 19, Konaté is probably the Ivory Coast’s most in-form forward coming into this tournament, but he has only started once for the national team before now.
Still, if the hosts have ambitions of lifting the coveted trophy this year, they may have to put their trust in the young Salzburg attacker and provide him with the platform to hopefully rise to the occasion and show what he can do for his country.
Mohamed Amoura, 23 years old, Algeria and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
Next up, another heavyweight in a quality sense in the form of Algeria and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise attacker Mohamed Amoura (170cm/5’7, 61kg/134lbs).
At 23 years of age, 24 in May, Amoura just about falls under the age limit for this piece.
Another who’s enjoying a career-best season at club level, Amoura joined USG from Swiss side Lugano last summer for €4m.
To demonstrate in some manner how meteoric his rise has been this term, Amoura’s Transfermarkt valuation when he joined the Belgian Pro League side was €2m.
Now, about six months later, it’s €10m, and you can expect that to continue on the upward trajectory.
The Algerian forward has netted 13 times in the league this season, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the Belgian top-flight at the moment, and he’s scored 15 non-penalty goals in all competitions this term from 63 shots — a very desirable conversion rate.
Amoura’s xG per shot is slightly lower than Konaté’s, with Amoura shooting a bit more often than his Ivorian counterpart.
The Algerian forward is more open to shooting from slightly worse positions, as his shot map above would indicate when compared to that of Konaté in figure 2.
Still, Amoura is generally shooting from high-quality positions.
He’s just generating a lot of shooting opportunities that he’s happy to take, and when he’s scoring at the rate he currently is, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!
The 23-year-old’s 4.62 shots per 90 is the highest in the Belgian Pro League, but he also boasts a very good shot accuracy rate of 58.54% to go along with his impressive conversion rate, as mentioned before.
Amoura is a very confident finisher who’s reliable and doesn’t tend to overthink when given time in front of goal before shooting.
Furthermore, the Algerian displays characteristics of a goal poacher, with good movement and fast reactions, helping him to convert rebounds and jump on loose balls inside the box.
Amoura usually plays on the left of a front two within USG’s 3-4-1-2 shape; he’s often found pulling out wide to the left, where he can find some space before carrying the ball inside.
He’s a very capable dribbler with good ball control and balance, and he’s well able to take on a defender 1v1 and open a shooting angle via his combination of technical and physical traits.
By pulling out wide to the left, Amoura’s often able to create 1v1s where he can utilise that dribbling ability, as mentioned.
The 23-year-old is also fond of attempting to round the opposition ‘keeper, which is something his opponents must be aware of.
He’ll get played in behind and blast off thanks to his pace and well-timed runs before relying on his dribbling quality to get around the goalkeeper and slot into an inviting net — we’ve seen this on several occasions in Belgium this term.
After receiving out wide and carrying inside, it’s also not uncommon to find Amoura looking to play through balls from the inside-left channel, as his shot assist map for the current campaign in figure 7 would indicate.
In this attacker, you get a dangerous playmaker as well as a goalscorer.
Without the ball, expect active pressing and relentless pursuit of opportunities to regain possession from Amoura; there are no problems in the defensive phase from a work rate and attitude standpoint.
Amoura has played as a centre-forward and as a winger on either side in the past for Algeria.
If they play with a front three, you’re probably more likely to find the USG man playing off the left, which suits his game well.
Faris Moumbagna, 23 years old, Cameroon and Bodø/Glimt
Next up, another 23-year-old in the form of Faris Moumbagna (185cm/6’1, 77kg/170lbs) of FK Bodø/Glimt in Norway.
This Cameroon international played a vital role in his club’s 2023 Eliteserien title win, as the left-footer finished the season as Norway’s joint-second-highest goalscorer on 15, with the third-highest xG (14.24) in the league.
Moumbagna is a very different type of player from the two we’ve analysed already in this piece.
Firstly, he plays as an out-and-out centre-forward, capable of leading the line independently.
For Bodø/Glimt this past season, he played in the middle of a front three, and he’s occupied this same lone striker position in his two appearances for the Cameroon national team thus far.
In addition, Moumbagna offers much more of an aerial presence for his team than Konaté or Amoura offer their respective sides.
Along with being 185cm tall, the Bodø/Glimt man has excellent jumping height in his locker, which is useful for his team when they look to use him as an outlet for a long ball from the back or as a crossing target inside the box.
Having taken an average of 2.17 shots per 90 in the league last season, Moumbagna is not at all a high-volume shooter — quite the opposite of Amoura.
However, he has an excellent shot accuracy rate (48.28%) and an excellent conversion rate, thanks to his clinical finishing ability.
Moumbagna’s shot map is a beautiful sight when you look at a goalscorer purely from an efficiency perspective.
He’s netted 23 goals from 90 shots in last season’s domestic competitions and this season’s UEFA Europa Conference League, maintaining 0.21 xG per shot in all competitions over the last calendar year.
When looking only at the Eliteserien stats, Moumbagna maintained a staggering 0.25 xG per shot in the league, giving us a major glimpse into why he finished the league season as the joint-second-highest goalscorer.
The Cameroonian attacker can pull off a wide variety of finishes, making him somewhat unpredictable in front of goal.
He’s clinical when given time in front of goal or when faced with a first-time finish and is often found drilling the ball low and hard into the corners of the net.
Don’t expect to see the Bodø/Glimt forward running all around the final third; he’s methodical in his movement and focuses a lot on his positioning to constantly occupy the best possible positions so when his team progress into the final third and the opposition’s penalty area and even the subtlest of movements can generate space for a shot, he’s there waiting for his teammates to find him.
We see one such example in figure 10, where the left-footed striker hammered the ball home from the middle of the box after a dribbler pulled the ball back to him after forcing the opposition’s defence slightly backward with their carry.
That much space is all he needs to get a quality shot off and find the back of the net — this goal was a result of the attacker’s intelligent positioning and clinical finishing ability; if Cameroon can find him in such positions during this tournament, they know they’ll have a quality goalscorer occupying excellent positions, ready to make them a formidable force in front of goal.
Moumbagna is also a powerful runner, but don’t expect to see him use that a lot; he conserves his energy and focuses mainly on occupying valuable positions, as mentioned above.
The main time you can expect to see him display this physical quality is when he needs to get forward quickly to help his team on the counter; in these situations, he will burst upfield from deep to quickly put himself in a finishing position.
Franculino Djú, 19 years old, Guinea-Bissau and Midtjylland
Now, for a 19-year-old who is developing very well and likely set for a career far beyond his currently level, should he keep his head down and continue pursuing his current path — Midtjylland’s Franculino Djú (182cm/6’0, 77kg/170lbs).
Another left-footer, Franculino joined Midtjylland from Benfica this past summer on a free transfer after having been developed within the Lisbon-based club’s youth academy.
He’s been slowly bled into the Danish side’s first team so far, playing just 39% of their Superliga minutes this term to date.
However, in those limited minutes (accumulated over 14 league appearances but just six starts), he’s made 11 goal contributions in the Danish top-flight (six goals and five assists) — not a bad return at all for the teenager’s first season of senior football.
Primarily playing as a right-forward in a 4-4-2, Franculino is a high-volume shooter (3.18 per 90 in the league this season), with an excellent shot accuracy rate (58.33%) to go hand in hand with excellent attacking positioning (as evident from his 0.18 xG per shot and prime shot locations on the viz above.
The most important quality when it comes to analysing Franculino’s game is his movement and positioning — he’s an excellent goal poacher who’s great at discreetly pulling away off the defender’s shoulder, finding a yard of space and using that space to its full potential.
In figure 13, we see how, after passing the ball back, Franculino moves forward to sit right on the opposition defender’s shoulder but slowly pulls away as the defender moves towards his strike partner.
At the same time, Franculino maintains distance from the other centre-back behind him, making him a very attractive passing option as his teammate lines up a through ball from the edge of the final third.
Franculino times his run like a player well beyond his teenage years, holding his run until the ball leaves the playmaker’s foot.
At this point, he’s got an excellent opportunity to go and enter a 1v1 with the opposition goalkeeper, which he takes exquisitely, receiving the hard through pass with a comforting first touch that sets the forward up for success.
This passage of play versus Silkeborg highlights a lot of what’s great about this Benfica academy product — his link-up play, his off-the-ball movement and, just after the image above, his secure first touch to control the pass and set up the subsequent goalscoring opportunity.
The main thing to take away from this is how Franculino succeeds in pulling away from defenders and occupying space in quality positions — this is the most valuable part of his game.
The Midtjylland man is also great at pulling away from the backline and receiving in space, offering himself as a link-up man with his back to goal who can help his team progress into the final third, as was the case in this example where he facilitated the team’s final third entry, playing a vital role in linking the midfield to the attack.
This is another common aspect of Franculino’s game — he’ll often perform sudden, sharp changes in direction, moving from the very tip of his team’s shape into a position like we see him in the top half of figure 14 in an instant as his team tries to enter the final third.
He’s reliable in link-up play, as although he’s not very well built physically, he’s good at pulling away into some space and has a decent first touch.
As a dribbler, Franculino’s close control is not amazing but he’s got good agility and a decent turning radius.
Still, his main skill is not in dribbling but in his off-the-ball movement — this is where he truly shines, and this is the type of role in which his national team would be wise to deploy him to extract the most from this promising talent, who’s already scored one international goal in his few Guinea-Bissau appearances thus far!
Defensively, Franculino provides a decent contribution for his side despite not being the most physical forward in the world.
This lack of physicality has a bit more of an adverse effect on his aerial performance, which isn’t that impressive.
However, he can convert headers provided he’s taking the shot with space around him that he’s generated via that top-drawer off-the-ball movement.
Hélio Varela, 21 years old, Cape Verde and Portimonense
The fifth and final player on our list is Cape Verde’s 21-year-old left-winger Hélio Varela (176cm/5’9, 69kg/152lbs), who’s broke through into Portuguese Primeira Liga side Portimonense’s senior squad for the first time this season.
In his first campaign of senior football, Varela has netted four times in 15 league games — a very respectable return, especially considering his 1.81 shots per 90 isn’t a lot when compared with other left-wingers from ‘Tier 2’ leagues (or leagues we’ve ranked as similar in quality to the Portuguese top-flight, such as the Dutch Eredivisie and Belgian Pro League among some others) — he ranks in the 67th percentile for shots per 90 as displayed on the pizza chart to the left above.
Varela’s shot selection is also somewhat questionable, given the somewhat erratic spread of shots on the map in figure 16, but he has had a decent return so far this term with five non-penalty goals in all competitions.
Still, he could do with some refinement in his shot selection and decision-making inside the final third, though that should come with time for the young attacker.
At the moment, if he creates half a chance via his dribbling to get a shot through on goal, he’ll take it; he’s capable of pulling off good, powerful, low-driven shots, though we do find him usually prioritising power over accuracy, generally speaking.
The Portimonense man’s dribbling is undoubtedly his greatest quality and the main reason we’ve included him on this list of ones to watch in the AFCON tournament.
From viewing him, he’s just a delight with the ball at his feet and is sure to deliver entertainment in 1v1s provided he takes to the international stage with the same attitude he approaches his Primeira Liga games.
Varela is always looking to receive in space out wide and take on a defender.
He’s a high-volume dribbler with 7.08 per 90 to his name in the league this term, but he’s still maintained a stellar 64.29% dribble success rate — a result of his quality with the ball at his feet.
The 21-year-old is a powerful ball carrier capable of moving at pace and turning sharply while dancing past defenders.
Despite playing wide on the left, Varela is not a great crosser on his weaker left foot.
He is a decent crosser on his right, but this means he often has to pull the ball back onto his right to get a quality ball in from the left, which can telegraph his cross a bit.
Defensively, expect to see Varela make his presence known up and down the wing; he’s diligent in his defensive duties, quick to close down and with decent positioning in his locker.
However, he’s also quick to jump into tackles and can give away cheap fouls at times.
We don’t expect Varela to win Player of the Tournament here, but he’s a player whose stock is undoubtedly on the rise, with a decent first half of a season of senior club football under his belt, and he always provides entertainment with the ball at his feet, so he’s certainly one to keep an eye on in the competition.
Conclusion
To conclude this tactical analysis and AFCON 2024 scout report, we recommend closely monitoring Karim Konaté, Mohamed Amoura, Faris Moumbagna, Franculino Djú and Hélio Varela when AFCON 2024 gets underway next week.
These are five of the most exciting attackers on the rise from the African continent at the moment, and all of them should have bright futures ahead of them — which this tournament could help propel them towards.
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