Crystal Palace FC's first-ever major European adventure is underway, as we battle to win the UEFA Conference League. Find out how you can join us on our journey.

European Tour

## World Cup winner

> Having made more than 100 appearances for Crystal Palace and now a regular captain of the side, Marc Guéhi has matured well beyond his years since moving to south London.

He joined Palace in summer 2021, signing a five-year contract with the club, and committing his services until summer 2026.

Guéhi was born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and moved to England aged one. He spent much of his early years in Lewisham and began his youth career with Bromley-based Cray Wanderers.

It didn’t take long for Guéhi to attract attention and, aged just seven, he was scouted by Chelsea.

Progressing over the following decade with the Blues, Guéhi did enough to stay at the club year on year and reaped the rewards with an immensely successful peer group.

Winning the treble with the Blues’ Under-18s in 2016/17, Guéhi signed his first professional contract in September 2017 and went on to help Chelsea scoop the quadruple – including the FA Youth Cup and league – that same season.

Guéhi’s Academy team helped to reinforce Chelsea’s image as one of the fiercest youth sides in England, as the centre-back played alongside the likes of Reece James, Tariq Lamptey, Billy Gilmour, Conor Gallagher and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

But it wasn’t just at club level where Guéhi enjoyed success with a noteworthy youth team, as the teenager won the Under-17 World Cup with England in 2017. Indeed, Guéhi captained the Young Lions to the U17 European Championship final that same year and scored in the World Cup final just months later.

These performances ensured Guéhi was rewarded with a taste of first-team football, and he began to be named in Chelsea squads in spring 2019 – being a senior substitute on four occasions in 18/19.

His breakthrough came in the League Cup against Grimsby Town as the Blues stormed to a 7-1 victory with Guéhi in the backline. He again earned professional minutes for Chelsea in a fourth-round defeat against Manchester United, and secured a loan move to Swansea City shortly after.

Guéhi fought to secure his place over a half-season with the Swans that was disrupted by the league’s suspension in March. Having returned from the pause, Guéhi played in Swansea’s final five matches and helped to clinch a sixth-place finish.

Play-off heartbreak came for the first of two times as Swansea lost on aggregate to Brentford in the semi-finals, but Guéhi went on to enjoy personal progression the following season regardless.

2020/21 was something of a landmark for the defender, who returned to Swansea on loan for a full campaign and played 45 games. He became recognised as one of the league’s brightest talents and helped Swansea climb further up the table with a fourth-place finish.

Swansea and Guéhi continued to go one better than 19/20 by reaching the play-off final, but football showed its unforgiving side once again as Brentford overcame them for a second time. Guéhi played in every minute of the three play-off matches.

Guéhi describes himself as “strong, comfortable on the ball and hopefully growing to be a leader one day.”

These traits are evident in his play, with the 21-year-old having captained England Under-21s and made himself a mainstay for Swansea despite being one of the squad’s youngest players.

His attitude became clear when a post-match interview with him went viral across social media. Having earned a spot at Wembley and consecutive Man of the Match awards from Sky Sports, Guéhi humbly rebuked the accolades by saying: “The first time I was really surprised. Now I think it’s getting a bit ridiculous! Everyone was fantastic today, to a man. I could name everyone. For me to get this again, I don’t know.”

On the pitch, Guéhi is assertive and vocal, often heard organising his teammates with confidence. This confidence is reflected in his willingness to drive out from the back and distribute possession from relatively high up the pitch.

His first season in south London saw him feature in all but two of the games in 2021/22, making 42 appearances in total. His first goal for the club came in a chaotic 3-3 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor. Guéhi captained the side for the first time against Watford in February 2022, becoming the youngest player to captain the side since Nathaniel Clyne in 2012.

A month later, he earned his first ever call-up to the full England squad and made his debut in a 2-1 win against Switzerland.

Guéhi continued to be a rock at the heart of the Palace defence in 2022/23, forming a formidable partnership with Joachim Andersen. He was nearly ever-present in 22/23, playing in 40 out of a possible 41 games.

The 2023/24 campaign saw Guéhi again continue as a stalwart at the back, though in the latter half of the season he did suffer a knee injury which kept him out for two months. He concluded 23/24 with 29 appearances in all competitions.

He was called up to the England men's senior squad ahead of the 2024 UEFA European Championship and earned his 10th cap for the Three Lions with a solid defensive display and clean sheet against Bosnia and Herzegovina in June 2024.

Guéhi played a huge role at the heart of the England defence in the 2024 UEFA European Championship, playing every single minute he was eligible for as England finished runners-up in the tournament. He managed to to keep two clean sheets and register an assist for Jude Bellingham's sensational last-minute overhead kick against Slovakia in the round of 16.

In 2024/25, Guéhi continued to be one of the first names on the teamsheet and captained the side on a regular basis. He played in 44 games across all competitions, keeping 14 clean sheets, scoring three times and registering two assists. 

Guéhi also made history alongside Palace legend Joel Ward on the 17th May 2025 - going up the famous Wembley steps to lift the FA Cup, after beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final. 

UEFA European Under-17 Championship, 2017

Team of the Tournament

March 2022, March 2023

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

Crystal Palace, 2021/22

Players' Player of the Season

January 2025

Crystal Palace Goal of the Month

Guéhi

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Behind-the-scenes | Christmas at Palace 

Extended Highlights: Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Match Action: Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Guéhi praises team spirit

Guéhi reacts to clean sheet

The Best of Marc Guèhi | Brentford (H)

Pre-match Press Conference | FC Dynamo Kyiv 

Goal AND Player of the month: Marc Guehi

Goal of the month contenders | August 2025

Extended Highlights: Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

The Full 90: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Match Highlights: Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace

Behind The Scenes | Kit Shoot

Introducing our 25/26 Eagle Gold kit 

Introducing the 25/26 Home Kit

Goals Inside Box

Goals Outside Box

Right Foot

Left Foot

Shots

Shots on target

Hit woodwork

Penalties taken

Penalties scored

Touches

Touches in opposition box

Aerial duels

Aerial duels won

Interceptions

Blocks

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Tackles won

Duels won

Clearances

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Attempted passes

Successful passes

Chances created

Crosses

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Fouls won

Fouls Conceded

Season

Games

As important a player for his country as he is for his club, Sarr – who has been in glittering form for Palace this season, with 10 goal involvements in 20 appearances so far in 2025/26 – will be hoping to claim his second AFCON title, having previously won the 2022 edition.

Ahead of the big kick-off this Sunday (21st December), here's everything you need to know about the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations...

### What is the background?

First held in 1957, the Africa Cup of Nations – often better known as AFCON for short – is the biggest prize on offer for the 54 member associations of Confederation of African Football (CAF), with other continental equivalents being the Copa America or the European Championships.

The tournament has been held since 1957 with it being scheduled – since 1968 – every two years, switching to odd-numbered years in 2013 to prevent conflicts with the FIFA World Cup. Due to weather conditions on the African continent, it has typically been held in the late Winter or early Spring months.

However, due to FIFA expanding its Club World Cup competition to 32 teams and being played in June and July 2025, this edition of the tournament will be played between Sunday, 21st December 2025 and Sunday, 18th January 2026.  

Despite initially being scheduled for summer 2025, this will now be the first time the tournament has run over the Christmas and New Year period.

Guinea were originally named as this year's hosts, but had their hosting rights revoked three years ago by CAF due to inadequate preparations, leading to AFCON 2025 being reallocated to Morocco.

Some 24 teams are involved this year, including Sarr's Senegal, who many have among the early front-runners for the competition.

Egypt are AFCON's most successful country, winning the tournament seven times, whilst Ivory Coast are the reigning holders from 2023. Senegal and Sarr have previously won the tournament just once, but will be hoping to change all that this winter...

### **How did Senegal qualify, and what is their track record?**

This year marks Senegal's sixth consecutive qualification for AFCON, and 18th appearance overall in the competition.

The *Lions de Téranga* were the sixth of the 24 teams to seal their place at the tournament after confirming top spot in qualification Group L back in October 2024, going undefeated and winning five of their six matches, scoring 10 times and conceding just once.

Sarr featured in five of those six matches, with the winning goal away to Burundi on matchday two, and an assist in a 4-0 demolition of Malawi. In total, he has earned 75 caps, scoring 18 times, for his country.

Senegal have experienced inconsistent results at AFCON since the competition's formation; having finished fourth in their 1965 tournament debut, they regularly failed to qualify – and when they did, get past the group stages – until 1990, when they went on to reach at least the quarter-finals in seven of the next nine editions of the competition, including in 1992 as tournament hosts.

That sequence included two more fourth-place finishes and, in 2002, a run to the final, where they narrowly lost out to Cameroon on penalties.

After another relatively barren run in the early 2000s, in modern times, with Sarr starring, Senegal have been perennial AFCON challengers.

Having lost out 1-0 to Algeria in the 2019 edition in Cairo – when Sarr featured in five of his country's seven matches, including the final – they finally ended their long wait with a penalty shoot-out win over Egypt in the 2021 edition in Cameroon, prompting scenes of euphoria back home in Dakar.

This will be Sarr's fifth appearance at an AFCON finals tournament, having previously made 15 appearances for the *Lions de Téranga* in this competition, with three goals and four assists to his name.

### **Who will Senegal face this year?**

With the top two – plus the four best (of six) third-placed sides – all advancing, Senegal are tipped to advance from Group D, having been placed in Pot 1 ahead of the draw.

Sarr and Senegal will come up against DR Congo (Pot 2), Benin (Pot 3) and Botswana (Pot 4), with only DR Congo having won the competition before, or won their qualification group.

### **Where will AFCON matches take place?**

Morocco are the host nation for this tournament, with nine different venues across six different host cities.

The final will take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday 18th January.

In terms of Senegal's Group D fixtures, these will all take place at Tangier Grand Stadium.

### **How can I watch in the UK?**

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, all matches will be broadcast live across Channel 4's network, airing on Channel 4, E4, 4Seven, Streaming and Channel 4 Sport YouTube.

All 52 matches during the tournament will be shown across platforms provided by the free-to-air broadcaster.

The majority of matches will be shown on 4Seven, though matches played simultaneously could feature on E4, with showpiece matches to be shown on Channel 4.

*Check back on [cpfc.co.uk](http://cpfc.co.uk) for updates on how Sarr gets on throughout AFCON.*

### **Match Details**

*All times below are GMT.*

- **Tuesday, 23rd December** (15:00): Senegal v Botswana
  - Live in the UK on Seven / Channel 4 Streaming
- **Saturday, 27th December** (15:00): Senegal v DR Congo
  - Live in the UK on Seven / Channel 4 Streaming
- **Tuesday, 30th December** (19:00): Benin v Senegal
  - Live in the UK on Seven / Channel 4 Streaming

Crystal Palace will be represented at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations – which starts this weekend – after Ismaïla Sarr was called up by Senegal for the latest edition of Africa's biggest competition. 

2025 Africa Cup of Nations: Your guide to Ismaïla Sarr & Senegal's bid for glory

Manchester City

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Last Match

KuPS

UEFA Conference League

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Christmas Shopping - Perfect Palace Presents

**Tickets for Thursday evening's game are on general sale – [find out more here](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/tickets/ticket-details-crystal-palace-kups-kuopio-december-2025/).**

Book tickets

### Their campaign so far

Competing in their first-ever European league phase, KuPS currently sit 25th in the UEFA Europa Conference League standings, with six points from five matches – which places them just inside the elimination spots.

The Finnish side are just one point adrift of clubs such as Lincoln Red Imps, Universitatea Craiova, Sigma Olomouc, Shkëndija and Lech Poznań in the knockout play-off places, meaning qualification remains firmly within reach.

KuPS opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Drita, followed by a goalless stalemate with Breiðablik. A convincing 3-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava then gave their campaign real momentum, before a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Jagiellonia was followed by another goalless draw, this time against Lugano.

Despite KuPS' current standing, they are a difficult side to breakdown. In their five Conference League games so far, Jarkko Wiss' side have tasted defeat in one game and conceded just three goals.

Jarkko Wiss

### How they qualified

Having lifted the 2024 Veikkausliiga title, KuPS began their European journey in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. They overcame Moldova’s Milsami Orhei in the first qualifying round before being eliminated by eventual group-stage qualifiers Kairat.

Dropping into the UEFA Europa League qualifiers, KuPS defeated Latvia’s RFS to guarantee league-phase football, but a heavy 6-0 aggregate defeat to Danish side Midtjylland in the play-off round ensured their place in the Conference League.

This season marks KuPS’ first appearance in a European competition proper since their first-round exit to Dynamo Kyiv in the 1990/91 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

The Kuopio-based club will be hoping to surpass the four-point return achieved by domestic rivals HJK Helsinki in last season’s Conference League league phase.

With the Finnish domestic season running from April to November, KuPS have enjoyed another strong campaign at home, successfully defending the Veikkausliiga title and securing their eighth Finnish championship overall.

League triumphs in 2019 and 2024 represent their third title of the modern era, with the club’s earlier successes coming between 1956 and 1976.

*See KuPS in action against FC Midtjylland, below!*

### Record against British opposition

Thursday’s meeting will be KuPS’ first-ever competitive fixture against English opposition, and only their second against a British side.

Their sole previous encounter came in the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League qualifiers, when they overcame Welsh outfit Llanelli 3-2 on aggregate. KuPS progressed after responding to Luke Bowen’s penalty in the second leg, striking back to secure qualification following an evenly contested tie.

### Familiar faces

There are few names in the KuPS squad likely to be familiar to Palace supporters, but midfielder **Jaakko Oksanen** brings experience of English football.

Oksanen joined Brentford in 2018 while the Bees were in the Championship and later spent the 2020/21 season on loan at AFC Wimbledon in League One. He made two league appearances for Brentford, alongside FA Cup outings, and featured 30 times for the Wombles, scoring once in a 1-1 draw with Blackpool in March 2021.

After a spell with Scottish side Greenock Morton – arguably the most consistent period of his career – Oksanen joined KuPS in 2022.

Elsewhere, Samuli Miettinen and Momodou Konaté may also ring a bell, having both spent brief spells with Italian side Sampdoria earlier in their careers.

Jaakko Oksanen

### Match Details

**Crystal Palace v KuPS Kuopio**

- Thursday, 18th December
- 20:00 GMT
- UEFA Conference League
- Selhurst Park
- [Tickets available here](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/tickets/ticket-details-crystal-palace-kups-kuopio-december-2025/).

As Crystal Palace prepare to welcome KuPS Kuopio to Selhurst Park in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday, 18th December (20:00 GMT), we take a closer look at the Finnish champions and their journey so far in Europe.

Palace in Europe: Get to know KuPS Kuopio!

**Christmas is just around the corner – which means the Crystal Palace Club Shop is once again stocked full of gifts for the festive season!**

Yes, it's time to get into the festive spirit with Crystal Palace – because you can now explore our exclusive range of gifts, perfect for every Eagles fan.

With our Christmas gift shop now live, it's the perfect opportunity to get your festive shopping sorted – well before the festive fixture programme takes over!

**And don't forget: [Members](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/memberships/) enjoy 10% off all full priced products in the Palace shop, both online and in store!**

Shop now

### Christmas delivery deadlines

**Rest of World**

- *Deadline passed*

**Europe / United States**

- *Deadline passed*

**United Kingdom**

- Wednesday, 17th December (12:00 GMT)

From stylish apparel to unique memorabilia, all catered for ages both young and old, we have something to make this holiday season unforgettable for everyone on your list.

**Shop now, and show your support for the Palace!**

The deadline to guarantee delivery of your favourite Crystal Palace gifts before Christmas is fast approaching – with Wednesday (17th December, 12:00) being the cut-off for orders within the United Kingdom – so place yours now to avoid disappointment!

Don't miss the delivery deadline this Wednesday: Make it a Red & Blue Christmas!

Club

Club

2025 Africa Cup of Nations: Your guide to Ismaïla Sarr & Senegal's bid for glory

Palace in Europe: Get to know KuPS Kuopio!

Don't miss the delivery deadline this Wednesday: Make it a Red & Blue Christmas!

Christmas Shopping - Perfect Palace Presents

6MarcGuéhi

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