Ahead of the 37th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicking off in Ivory Coast on Saturday, there will be a plethora of African soccer stars who will definitely shine like a million stars.

With anticipation building up as the 24 best teams on the continent battle to lift the coveted trophy, individual brilliance of the players will not be overlooked.

Each of the 24 countries participating in the tournament have one or two star players who will stand out. In this piece, Africa News Watch takes a look at five of such players to look out for.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

Mohamed Salah is probably the best player on the African continent at the moment and there is no gain saying that once again, he will bring his magic to bear.

Over the years, he has continued to be Egypt’s shining light and this Afcon tournament will not be an exception.

The 31-year-old will want to use this edition to atone for missing out on the trophy in Cameroon when the Pharoas lost to Senegal on penalties.

His form at Liverpool where he has a 27-goal contribution is a testament to the fact that he is one of the continent’s best players.

Sadio Mane (Senegal)

If Mohamed Salah is Egypt’s most high profile player, Sadio Mane is Senegal’s answer to that as he is also poised to battle for player of the tournament.

Mane may have endured a tough couple of years beginning with his not so impressive time at Bayern Munich after moving from Liverpool in 2022.

But Mane seems to have rediscovered himself after leaving Germany for a fresh start at Saudi Arabia League club Al-Nassr.

The move has afforded Mane a new lease of life as he has struck up a strong partnership with former Real Madrid and Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, recording eight goals and four assists in 18 league outings.

Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)

The 37th edition of African Nations Cup may just be the platform for Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen to prove to the world that his sterling performances with Napoli and the Super Eagles were no fluke.

The 2023 African Player of the Year who fired Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years last season is poised to carry the goal burden for Nigeria following injuries to Victor Boniface and Sadiq Umar but the 24-year-old does not seem to be fazed with the load.

He is not only a fox in the box but master finisher with excellent instincts in and around the box and a knack for clever runs in behind defences.

If he gets the kind of service he gets from his midfielders and wingers, Osimhen may just turn out to be the missing cog in the Super Eagles attack.

Mohammed Kudus (Ghana)

Ghanaian football fans are enthusiastic that Mohammed Kudus is the long awaited heir to cult hero Abedi Pele despite the fact that his two sons, Andre and Jordan have been in the team for years.

Kudu’s impact at West Ham is one of the reasons the modest club is currently punching above its weight in the English Premier League after entering the top six at the halfway point.

If the 23-year-old Kudus brings his a-game to Ivory Coast, the Black Stars may just spring a surprise at the tournament.

Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

Riyad Mahrez may have been a Premier League winner at Leicester City, but it was at Manchester City where he truly became one of the best players in Europe, terrorising defences on the right flank with his superb dribbling skills and expert delivery.

Mahrez captained Algeria to AFCON glory in 2019 and this edition may not be so much different for him and the Desert Foxes.

His move from City to the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli had also added a fresh impetus to Mahrez’s game as he has registered eight goals and seven assists across the first half of the season.

Mahrez may have stepped down a level, but he’s still a world-class player on his day and an achievement he will stop at nothing to replicate this time around.