#23.Tanzania 🇹🇿
Population: 61,741,120
Nickname: Taifa Stars
Appearances: 3rd
Last Appearance: 2019
Coach: Adel Amrouche (Algeria)
Best AFCON results: Group Stage (1980,2019)
Skipper: Mbwana Samatha
Player to watch: Mbwana Samatha
Region: CECAFA
CAF Rankings: 32
FIFA Rankings: 121
Most Caps: Erasto Nyoni (107)
Top Scorer: Mrisho Ngasa (25)
Football in Tanzania has risen to a level that Simba and Young Africans are battling with the top-class clubs on the continent. It shows how committed Tanzanian leaders are to their football.
Taifa Stars will make their third appearance at the AFCON with the previous two all ending in Group Stage exit.
Tanzania finished second to Algeria in Group F of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers by winning 8 points from a possible 18.
In the FIFA World Cup qualifiers opening games, Taifa Stars won 1-0 away to Niger and lost 2-0 in Dar es Salaam against Morocco.
Algerian coach Adel Amrouchi doesn’t have many famous stars but has quality players at his disposal who are ready to lift high the flag of Tanzania.
31-year-old PAOK striker Mbwama Samatha is still around and ready to lead the Taifa Stars.
The Core of the Team
Kwesi Kawawa will be Tanzania’s number-one goalkeeper in the AFCON.
Bakari Mwmnyeto will be the leader at the back alongside Ibrahim Abdallah Hamad.
Mkami and Bajama will be first-choice midfielders for Tanzania.
Msuva, Samatha and M’Mombwa will lead the attack for Taifa Stars.
Probable 11
Kawawa
Hamad, Mwamnyeto, Mwaikenda
Moroshi, Mkami, Bajana, Mnoga
Samatha, Msuva, M’Mombwa
Notable Legends
Erasto Nyoni, Mrisho Ngasa, Mwadini Ali, Athuman Idd, Haruna Moshi, Said Maulid, Hadji Mberwa, Stephano Mwasika
Expectations: Group Stage exit
Fixtures
Morocco v Tanzania
Zambia v Tanzania
Tanzania v DR Congo