#4. Guinea Bissau 🇬🇼
Population: 2,078,820
Nickname: Djurtus
Appearances: 4th
Last Appearance: 2021
Coach: Baciro Cande
Best AFCON results: Group Stage (2017,2019,2021)
Skipper: Jonas Mendes
Player to watch: Mama Balde
Region: WAFU
CAF Rankings: 21
FIFA Rankings: 103
Most caps: Jonas Mendes (56)
Top scorer: Nando Co (9 goals)
Guinea Bissau will play at the AFCON for the fourth consecutive time as they qualified for the first time in 2017 and have been ever-present.
The West Africans secured four points from away in the two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso and a 1-0 win over Djibouti.
In the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, they shocked Nigeria in Abuja at the Mashood Abiola National Stadium in front of 60,491 spectators. Guinea Bissau won 3 games, drew 1 and lost 1 as they collected 13 points in Group A of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.
Mama Balde, 28, on loan from Troyes at Olympique Lyon, will be the man Guinea Bissau will look up to in their attack.
Guinea Bissau will hope to repeat against Nigeria what they did in the AFCON 2023 qualifiers.
Every member of the squad plays in Europe. Djurtus will fancy their chance and qualify for the first time to the knockout stage of the AFCON.
The Core of the team
Skipper Mendes is the number one goalkeeper as Nanu, Djalo and Sangate are due to protect the back.
Manconi and Dalcio will be in the middle with Mama Balde and Franculino leading the attack for Guinea Bissau.
Probable 11
4-1-4-1
Jonas Mendes
Encada Djalo Sangante Nanu
Manconi
Dalcio Semedo Bikel Balde
Franculino
Notable Legends
Nando Co, Jonas Mendes, Nanu, Mama Balde, Piqueti, Fali Cande
Expectations: Group Stage exit
Fixtures
•Ivory Coast v Guinea Bissau
•Equatorial Guinea v Guinea Bissau
•Guinea Bissau v Nigeria
