Kanoute tips Keita to shine at Afcon

The former Sevilla and Tottenham striker believes Mali have a realistic chance of winning the Afcon which gets underway on Saturday

Seydou Keita may have turned 35 on Friday but Frederic Kanoute is adamant his former Mali team-mate will still be a force in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The tournament kicks off on Saturday when the hosts, Equatorial Guinea, take on Congo in Bata. It will be the most open contest for years, according to Kanoute, who believes Mali have a chance of winning it despite being drawn in a tough group with Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Guinea.

“We have done consistently well recently without making it to the final,” Kanoute told Goal. “With Seydou Keita leading the team we can make it this year. I am hopeful.

“Mali were a bit up and down in qualifying but there has never been such an even competition, with Nigeria and Egypt both missing. Mali have enough quality players, and Keita is a great leader.”

The versatile Roma midfielder had four good seasons at Barcelona, for whom he appeared in two victorious Champions League finals against Manchester United, in 2009 and 2011.

“He brings experience, professionalism, he plays in one of the top leagues. As long as he’s fit he can keep going, and he is an asset to any team.

“If this happens to be his last Cup of Nations, I truly hope he finishes with the title.”

Kanoute, who starred for Tottenham and Sevilla, made his Cup of Nations debut in 2004, when he was joint top scorer with four goals. In 2007 he became the first player born outside Africa – he was born in France to a Malian father – to become the continent’s footballer of the year.

He has retired from playing and, aged 37, now holds ambassadorial roles for Mali and Caf (Confederation of African Football) and runs an academy in Mali that focuses on education and social issues. He followed Mali home and away in qualifying.

The former striker said he was excited at the prospect of watching the 2015 tournament, and when asked which players might make up the next generation of African superstars he nominated two.

“Yacine Brahimi is very impressive,” he said of Porto’s Algeria forward. “And Wilfried Bony. I have followed him for a while and I was always convinced he would sign for one of the biggest clubs. This is an exciting time for African football. I’m really looking forward to this tournament