Now that it is finished, we can officially draw up the observation that was already taking shape over the days. This group stage of the African Cup of Nations has been completely crazy. In addition to the elimination of Algeria and Ghana, but also the great fright of the Ivorian host, who qualified by a narrow margin after losing their coach Jean-Louis Gasset, the course of Equatorial Guinea left its mark .
The “Nzalang Nacional”, modest 88th in the FIFA ranking and never before seen in the World Cup, flew over a group that was nevertheless very tough. The semi-finalist of the 2015 edition at home, quarter-finalist two years ago in Cameroon, first kept Nigeria at bay (1-1), before outclassing Guinea-Bissau (4-2) then traumatize Ivory Coast (4-0), brought by its 34-year-old attacker and captain, Emilio Nsue.
Author of a hat-trick in the second match – the first successful in a CAN for sixteen years – then a double in the third, the native of Palma de Mallorca displays a total more seen in a group stage since the Ivorian Laurent Pokou with his seven achievements in… 1970.
The European U19 champion then U21 with Spain (alongside De Gea, Azpilicueta, Mata and Thiago Alcantara) had nevertheless announced the color before the competition, on the website of the African Confederation (CAF): “Personally, my last CAN was not my best [zéro but et un tir au but raté en 8es de finale contre le Mali]. I will try to put in a very good performance and we will try to win all the matches. »
“We must not look at division”
But inevitably, the words of a player from the Spanish third division (CF Intercity, in Alicante) carry less weight than those of Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mané. “We must not look at the division,” says former Beninese international Mickaël Poté. The CAN is a different pressure. It is often the players who come from a lower level who are hungry to win. »
The center forward who passed through Clermont and Nice worked alongside Nsue at APOEL Nicosia in 2018-2019. He even sympathized with a player of rare versatility, an attacker by training, converted into a defender in Mallorca at the beginning of the 2010s, but who finds himself at the forefront with his selection and, sometimes, to help out at the club.
At APOEL, he was a right-back, super offensive, continues Poté, present in Abidjan as a consultant for several local media. But above all, he is a warrior, he is sharp in everything he does, whether he plays defender or attacker. And as he is not clumsy in front of goal… We saw it in this CAN: he doesn’t have many balls, but he is on the lookout. He is opportunistic. He’s also a leader, just look at his gestures, how he asks his teammates to calm down. I’m really happy for him, he’s such a good guy! »
This boxing fan has traveled a lot since his debut in his hometown club: in Spain (Castellón, Real Sociedad where he will be Antoine Griezmann’s roommate), in England (Middlesbrough, Birmingham City), in Cyprus (APOEL Nicosia and Apollon Limassol) before passing through Bosnia (Tuzla City) then, since June 2022, at CF Intercity. His recent career outlined the downward slope of a more than honorable career, before this brutal flashback at the CAN.
“I’m 34 but I feel better than ever, Nsue told the Spanish media Relevo, before his double against Ivory Coast. I take care of my physique. But the most important thing is to feel good mentally and have confidence in yourself. » A quality which this leader at heart has never lacked, as when he left Spain, which had not selected him for the London Olympic Games in 2012, to join the selection of the country of origin of his father, which had been eyeing him for a while.
“I was received at the airport as if I were Cristiano Ronaldo,” recalls the top scorer in the history of “Nzalang Nacional”, with 22 goals, who was then playing in Mallorca. The fact that a Liga player chose Equatorial Guinea, who were then losing all their matches, was very appreciated. I felt like a God. »
And now, Guinea in the round of 16
Nsue helped put Africa’s only Spanish-speaking country, a small oil state with an area slightly smaller than Belgium, on the map. On Monday, this selection which relies on a framework of executives born in Spain (seven out of the eleven starters against the Ivorians) will start as favorites in their round of 16 against Guinea. “It’s a solid team, a real collective,” continues Mickaël Poté. Behind and in the middle, there’s a lot of work. Nsue is at the end of the line, he finishes. »
And it’s clearly not finished. “He can still be noticed by a Gulf country” observes his former teammate, another fine example of longevity since he still has not ended his career at the age of 39. While waiting for this possible golden early retirement, the money should start flowing for the Equatoguinean players: President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, 82 years old including 45 at the head of a country where the opposition is non-existent, announced that the The team was going to share a million euros, after the triumph against Ivory Coast. As for his son and announced successor, already vice-president, he promised an additional 50,000 euros per goal scored.