The Super Eagles begin their quest for a fourth African title against Carlos Queiroz’s Pharaohs on Tuesday evening.
As Nigeria prepare to take on Egypt in their opening Group D encounter of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, GOAL looks at the tale of the stats as these two African football heavyweights clash at Stade Roumdé Adjia in Garoua, Cameroon.
The two teams are separated by just a single ranking place on both the global and continetal systems.
While Nigeria are fifth in Africa and 36th in the world, the North Africans are rated as the sixth-best team on the continent and 37th best football playing country globally.
Egypt are unbeaten in each of their last 16 group matches at the Africa Cup of Nations (W12 D4). Their last defeat in the group phase dates back to the 2004 tournament.
Nigeria are making their 19th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations.
They have reached the semi-finals in 14 of their last 16 Afcon participations, winning the tournament
This will be the ninth encounter between Nigeria and Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations – only three fixtures have been played more often in the history of the tournament (Cameroon-Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire-Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana – all 10 times).
Nigeria hold the upper hand with three wins to Egypt’s two, although their last encounter in 2010 went to the Pharaohs (3-1 in the group phase).
This is Egypt’s 25th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations, a record in the history of the tournament. They have won it seven times, more than any other side.
However, they have won none of the last five Afcon tournaments after winning each of the previous three (2006, 2008, 2010).
Since his debut in the competition in 2017, Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 60% of Egypt’s goals in the Africa Cup of Nations (4 goals + 2 assists, out of a team total of 10 goals).
From goal.com