source: bbc.co.uk



The African Nations Cup hasn't always gotten the respect it deserves. I remember tuning in to the 1994 tournament purely to enjoy the comical goalkeeping. Since then, both myself and the goalkeepers have matured. If you don't believe me then consider Cameroon's Carlos Kameni, whose performances for Espanyol have made him one of the most respected keepers in Spain's La Liga.

This tournament also features a host of top quality players. Not just quality players, but genuine household names.

Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o, the scourge of Real Madrid, is one of the deadliest strikers in the world right now. He reaffirmed this with a hattrick in Cameroon's opening Group B game against Angola.

Chelsea's Didier Drogba is similarly lethal, and he's been on the scoresheet in each of the opening games for Ivory Coast (or Cote d'Ivoire if you're feeling fancy).

Nigeria can boast the pace of Inter Milan's Obafemi Martins up front, while in midfield the 18 year old John Obi Mikel will be looking to show the world why Chelsea and Manchester United are squabbling over who he actaully signed for.

I'm not saying it's perfect. Every two years is a little too often, the timing is terrible, and anything that involves El -Hadji Diouf can't be all good. But as the football world gets smaller (not literally, don't worry) and African players become more recognizable to European football fans, this competition will become more essential with every passing year.