Team Captain: Emilio Nsue with pumped fist in Photo
FIFA Rank: 118
Coach: Esteban Becker
Captain: Emilio Nsue
Nickname: Nzalang Nacional (National Thunder)
Best AFCON finish: Quarter-finals (2012)
AFCON 2013 finish: Did not qualify
AFCON PEDIGREE:
Equatorial Guinea are relative newcomers to the Africa Cup of Nations finals scene, and although they qualified to the tournament proper for the 1988 and 1996 installments, they soon withdrew themselves from the competition.
A long run of failed qualification then ensued between 2002 and 2010, although they finally broke that mould in 2012, albeit due to their status as co-hosts with Gabon.
FIFA Rank: 118
Coach: Esteban Becker
Captain: Emilio Nsue
Nickname: Nzalang Nacional (National Thunder)
Best AFCON finish: Quarter-finals (2012)
AFCON 2013 finish: Did not qualify
AFCON PEDIGREE:
Equatorial Guinea are relative newcomers to the Africa Cup of Nations finals scene, and although they qualified to the tournament proper for the 1988 and 1996 installments, they soon withdrew themselves from the competition.
A long run of failed qualification then ensued between 2002 and 2010, although they finally broke that mould in 2012, albeit due to their status as co-hosts with Gabon.
However, they went on to show they were not there merely to make up the numbers, eventually making it to the quarter-finals, only to lose 3-0 to Ivory Coast, who proved that year's beaten finalist.
National Thunder's inclusion in this year's showpiece was initially over before it even begun, though, after they were disqualified in June for fielding an ineligible player during the qualifying campaign. However, they were soon handed a massive life line after Morocco withdrew themselves as host nation, with Equatorial Guinea instead taking up that cause.
SQUAD OVERVIEW:
Equatorial Guinea's 2015 AFCON squad announcement has been met with plenty of criticism, with no fewer than 14 Spanish-born players named in their 23-man team.
Malaga youth goalkeeper Aitor Embela and Valencia B's 19-year-old Ivan Salvador are amongst the surprise inclusions in the squad, while fans of English football will be slightly more familiar with captain Emilio Nsue, who plies his trade with Championship outfit Middlesbrough.
There was also a call for Real Madrid Castilla winger Ruben Belima, who will be hoping to use the occasion to add more value to his stock as a professional football, and perhaps even catch the eye of Galacticos first-team coach Carlo Ancelotti.
FULL SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Aitor Embela (Malaga), Carlos Mosibe (CA Malabo), Felipe Ovono (Deportivo Mongomo)
Defenders: Igor Engonga (CD Tropezon), Dani Evuy, Diosdado Mbele (both Leones Vegetarianos), Miguel Angel Maye (Akonangui), Rui (Hibernians FC), Sipo (AEK Larnaca),
Midfielders: Juvenal Edjogo (Santa Coloma), Viera Ellong Doualla (The Panthers), Pablo Ganet (UD Sanse), Charly Martin (College Europa), Emilio Nsue (Middlesbrough), Randy (Iraklis), Ivan Zarandono (Rangers FC)
Forwards: Javier Balboa (Estoril), Ruben Belima (Real Madrid B), Ivan Bolado (Pune City), Raul Fabiani (Olimpic Xativa), Kike (Mallorca B), Ruben Dario (Leones Vegetarianos), Ivan Salvador (Valencia B)
National Thunder's inclusion in this year's showpiece was initially over before it even begun, though, after they were disqualified in June for fielding an ineligible player during the qualifying campaign. However, they were soon handed a massive life line after Morocco withdrew themselves as host nation, with Equatorial Guinea instead taking up that cause.
SQUAD OVERVIEW:
Equatorial Guinea's 2015 AFCON squad announcement has been met with plenty of criticism, with no fewer than 14 Spanish-born players named in their 23-man team.
Malaga youth goalkeeper Aitor Embela and Valencia B's 19-year-old Ivan Salvador are amongst the surprise inclusions in the squad, while fans of English football will be slightly more familiar with captain Emilio Nsue, who plies his trade with Championship outfit Middlesbrough.
There was also a call for Real Madrid Castilla winger Ruben Belima, who will be hoping to use the occasion to add more value to his stock as a professional football, and perhaps even catch the eye of Galacticos first-team coach Carlo Ancelotti.
FULL SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Aitor Embela (Malaga), Carlos Mosibe (CA Malabo), Felipe Ovono (Deportivo Mongomo)
Defenders: Igor Engonga (CD Tropezon), Dani Evuy, Diosdado Mbele (both Leones Vegetarianos), Miguel Angel Maye (Akonangui), Rui (Hibernians FC), Sipo (AEK Larnaca),
Midfielders: Juvenal Edjogo (Santa Coloma), Viera Ellong Doualla (The Panthers), Pablo Ganet (UD Sanse), Charly Martin (College Europa), Emilio Nsue (Middlesbrough), Randy (Iraklis), Ivan Zarandono (Rangers FC)
Forwards: Javier Balboa (Estoril), Ruben Belima (Real Madrid B), Ivan Bolado (Pune City), Raul Fabiani (Olimpic Xativa), Kike (Mallorca B), Ruben Dario (Leones Vegetarianos), Ivan Salvador (Valencia B)
By Farai Diza
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