Nine past winners are among 24 countries fully loaded for the 33rd edition of the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, slated for Cameroon tomorrow.

The celebrated nine are: Egypt (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010), Cameroon (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017), Ghana (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982), Algeria (1990, 2019), Cote d’Ivoire (1992, 2015), Nigeria (1980, 1994, 2013), Tunisia (2004), Sudan (1970) and Ethiopia (1962).

The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in June and July 2021, but CAF announced on January 15 2020, that due to hostile climatic conditions during this period, the tournament would take place from January 9 to February 6 2021.

However, on June 30 2020, CAF again moved the tournament for the second time to January 2022, following the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic across the continent, whilst retaining the name 2021 Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship purposes.

Algeria are the defending champions, having won the 2019 edition.

It is expected that the finest of continental football will decant from the tantalizing feet of the hundreds of players that would converge in the five cities (Douala, Yaounde, Garoua, Bafoussam and Limbe) of Cameroon.

After the group stage, the top two teams from each group and the four highest ranked third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16. The round of 16 winners will advance to the quarter-finals and the quarter-final winners will advance to the semi-finals. The semi-final losers will play in a third place match, while the semi-final winners will contest the final.

For most Ghanaians, the concern is not too much about gorgeous football. It is about putting up a brave pitch performance and breaking the nation’s trophy jinx for the first time since 1982. It is now four decades – 40 incredible years, since the Black Stars lifted the Holy Grail, and the time to exorcise the ghost of failure is now or never.

Leading the Stars in that taxing adventure is Andre Dede Ayew, who, inspired by the sound technical direction of returnee Serbian coach, Milovan Rajevac, is expected to land Ghana that fifth elusive gold – hopefully.

This is why Ghanaians would be watching with bated breath as the buoyant Stars take to the field against Morocco’s Atlas Lions in their Group C opening game on Monday, December 10, at the 42,500-capacity Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé

BY SPECTATOR SPORTS REPORTER: