When the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations kicked off in Ivory Coast on Saturday, it marked the beginning of one of the most underrated tournaments on the planet. AFCON is an exciting tournament where 24 teams aim to lift the trophy as Africa's champions.
A match filled with entertainment, atmosphere, flair, great moments and even controversy, it's a must-watch for every soccer fan around the world. And for fans of Major League He Soccer, once again the league will be participating in this tournament.
Four MLS players – Carlos Akapo, Jamiro Monteiro, Steven Moreira and Nouhou Toro – will be competing in the African Cup of Nations, giving fans of the league and the teams they represent a reason to pay attention. We hope to bring glory to our country in this fascinating tournament.
Carlos Akapo, a defender based in MLS's San Jose Earthquakes, will play for the Equatorial Guinea national team. Equatorial Guinea are in Group A along with hosts Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau. This is Akapo's second AFCON tournament. His first appearance was in the 2021 tournament, but it was postponed to 2022 due to the coronavirus.Akapo started all games. Nzalan Nacional (National Thunder) advanced to the quarterfinals. Akapo has 30 caps and one goal in 11 years with Equatorial Guinea, and was first called up in August 2012.
Jamiro Monteiro was Akapo's teammate with the San Jose Earthquakes, but internationally he is a midfielder with the Cape Verde national team. This will be their second time participating in AFCON after playing as a team in the 2021 tournament. He started every game for the Blue Sharks as they aimed to advance to the Round of 16. Cape Verde are in Group B along with Egypt, Ghana and Mozambique. Monteiro has 32 caps and three goals for Cape Verde.
Joining Monteiro against Cape Verde will be Columbus Crew defender Steven Moreira. However, unlike Monteiro, Moreira is new to the Cape Verdean national team. He played for the French youth national team before announcing his intention to play for Cape Verde at senior international level. His first cap for Cape Verde was in October 2023 and he has two caps in total for the team, including Wednesday's friendly against Tunisia. This will be his first African Cup of Nations.
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Nouhou Toro may be the most experienced MLS player taking part in this tournament. Nouhou, a defender for the Seattle Sounders, represents Cameroon at the international level. He started almost all of Cameroon's matches at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and led them to a third-place finish. He also has World Cup experience, starting every game for Cameroon when they were eliminated in the group stage of the Qatar 2022 tournament, including the 1-0 win against Brazil. In total, Noho has 27 caps and one assist for the Indominable Lions.
Expect fireworks as each team continues to take the field during this amazing tournament. And his four players from MLS are in the middle of the match, each hoping to contribute to their team's glory. This is just the latest example of Major League Soccer being a league that reaches every corner of the globe, and also helps bring some life to the world's most underrated tournament.
