Champions and captains: Palace's previous AFCON trailblazers

Club

14 Jan 2026

Crystal Palace have a proud history of success at the Africa Cup of Nations, and with Ismaïla Sarr and Senegal targeting a place in this year's Final when they take on Egypt tonight (17:00 GMT), it's time to look back at some of the Palace stars - past, present and future - who have made their mark on one of the biggest tournaments in the global calendar...

Fans can tune in to watch tonight's game for free on E4. Alternatively, you can live stream the match online via Channel 4 and YouTube.

This is 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 in that time.

Remember, you can keep up to date with the latest from Sarr's AFCON campaign by clicking HERE...

Palace AFCON heroes

Cheikhou Kouyaté

“I can’t explain this happiness,” Kouyaté told the Palace matchday programme after Senegal's success at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations. “It’s unbelievable – it was the best day of my life. The celebrations were too much!

“It’s crazy because we know it’s the first trophy for Senegal, and for us also it means we are now in the story of Senegal. When we were younger and Senegal were playing, we would support the team. Now you are a player in the team and you bring home the cup.

“When you see the people’s faces and they are so happy, you can’t explain that.”

The Palace midfielder scored in the quarter-final as Senegal won their first title in a long and storied history.

“They deserve it. In Africa they have big problems. Some people are sick, some people don’t have the money to eat. But after this, you didn’t see anything like that. Everyone is so happy, people are so emotional. We understand their emotions because it’s the same for us also. It’s the best thing you can have in your life.

“You know when they talk about paradise? This is paradise.”

We can't sum it up any better than that.

Wilfried Zaha

Palace's greatest-ever player represented Cote d'Ivoire at three tournaments, in 2017, 2019 and 2022, going out in the group stage, quarter-finals and knockout round respectively.

The final two were in agonising fashion, exiting via a penalty shoot-out, with The Elephants still looking for a first AFCON title since 2015.

Kagisho Dikgacoi

After making his international debut in 2007, Dikgacoi was called up to his first AFCON in 2008. The tournament in Ghana was an unsuccessful one, as South Africa came bottom of their group.

However, in 2013 Dikgacoi followed up the dream of a home World Cup in 2010 with an Africa Cup of Nations played in front of his compatriots. As Palace chased promotion to the Premier League, he and his Bafana Bafana side cruised through the group stage, but suffered heartbreak in the quarter-finals after losing a penalty shoot-out to Mali.

Kwesi Appiah

Not yet an international debutant, Appiah travelled with the Ghana team to the 2015 tournament in Equatorial Guinea. He made his debut in the final group game, as Ghana beat South Africa to finish top.

His dream tournament continued as he scored his first international goal in a quarter-final win over Guinea. The Black Stars reached the final, and Appiah started the game – subbed off for Jordan Ayew as they sought a winner.

In the end, Ivory Coast won an epic penalty shoutout – but Appiah had more than made his mark.

Yannick Bolasie

Travelling to Equatorial Guinea for the 2015 tournament, Bolasie was quick to make an impact by scoring in DR Congo’s first group game against Zambia.

After a victory over the Republic of the Congo in the quarter-finals, Bolasie and co. were knocked out by Ivory Coast, strong eventual winners, in the semi-finals, but went on to secure third place by beating the hosts in a play-off penalty shoot-out.

Pape Souaré

Souaré was another to reach the 2015 finals, playing alongside Kouyaté for a Senegal side trapped in the ‘Group of Death’ with Ayew’s Ghana and Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria.

After an opening day victory over the Black Stars, Senegal’s draw against South Africa and defeat to Algeria saw them sent home in third place.

Jordan Ayew

Palace's 2019/20 Player of the Season Ayew took part in a remarkable seven editions of AFCON with Ghana, his best run being to the final in 2015, when he played in all but one match en route to the aforementioned penalty loss to Ivory Coast.

The 115-time capped forward's last edition of the tournament in 2024 saw him score twice and register an assist, with his team ultimately conceding twice late on in their final group-stage game to suffer an early elimination.

In total, Ayew has played 25 times at AFCON down the years, scoring six times and registering two assists.

Former and future Eagles

Cheick Doucouré

Doucouré made his Africa Cup of Nations debut at just 19-years-old as a Lens youngster, coming on as a substitute in the group stage in 2019 as Mali were knocked out in the round of 16.

The 2022/23 Palace Player of the Year is unfortunate to miss out this time around with injury, but will be supporting the Eagles from the sidelines.

Chadi Riad

Another Eagle who is unfortunate to miss out this year, with his home nation of Morocco hosting, Riad was selected for the squad in last year's edition after making his senior international debut in a 3–1 pre-tournament friendly win over Sierra Leone.

In total the promising defender has won three senior caps for his nation, and will be hoping to add more at the culmination of his return to fitness.

Adlène Guedioura

Guedioura must have thought his luck was out when he travelled to the 2019 AFCON, after going out in the group stage in his previous two tournaments.

This time would be different however, as Guedioura inspired Algeria from midfield, starting in the final as they beat Senegal – whose side included Sarr – to win the title. His performances saw him named in the team of the tournament, and ensured his status as a hero to all those watching at home.

"I cried, it was too much emotion," he told cpfc.co.uk years later. We don't blame him.

Read Guedioura's full feature interview HERE.

Bakary Sako

Sako made a splash in his first AFCON appearance with Mali, scoring a sumptuous volley against Ivory Coast in the group stages.

However, he would suffer what is surely one of the more bizarre eliminations from the tournament. With identical records in the group stages, Mali and Guinea drew lots to decide who would progress to the quarter-finals. Guinea emerged from the hat, sending Sako and his unbeaten Mali side home.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Aged just 21, a young Adebayor fired Togo to the 2006 tournament as the top scorer across the continent in qualifying.

His next involvement in 2010 was cut short by tragedy, as the Togo team bus came under fire in a terrorist incident before the start of the tournament. Three people were killed, Mário Adjoua, Améleté Abalo and Stanislas Ocloo, and the team were forced to withdraw.

Marouane Chamakh

Another to make a big impact at a young age, Chamakh travelled to the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia. At just 20-years-old, he scored a last minute equaliser against Algeria in the quarter-final, earning a starting berth for Morocco in the final.

He played the full 90 minutes as they were beaten by Tunisia, and would go on to represent his country at two more tournaments in a long international career.

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