FACTBOX-Soccer-Profile of Guinea team for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations

Forward. A former French youth international, Guirassy is in the form of his life with 17 goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances at VfB Stuttgart this season, only behind Harry Kane in the scoring charts.

Factbox on Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Guinea. Africa Cup of Nations record:

Previous appearances in finals: (13) 1970, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1994, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 Best performance: Runners up 1976

Drawn in Group C with Cameroon, Gambia and Senegal - - -

Coach: Kaba Diawara This is a second successive Cup of Nations in charge for the 48-year-old, who was confirmed in the job just weeks before the last tournament in Cameroon kicked off. It is the first coaching job for the French-born former striker, who had been serving as assistant coach with the team previously. Diawara won caps for France at under-21 but later played for Guinea. His nomadic club career took in stints at Girondins de Bordeaux, Olympique de Marseille and Paris St Germain in Ligue 1 and Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United in England.

- - - Key player: Serhou Guirassy. Age: 27. Forward.

A former French youth international, Guirassy is in the form of his life with 17 goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances at VfB Stuttgart this season, only behind Harry Kane in the scoring charts. It is his second season at Stuttgart, who had him on loan from Stade Rennais in the last campaign, and his goals have made him a sought-after commodity – particularly given there is a modest 17.5-million euro ($19.1 million) release clause in his contract. Guirassy switched his allegiance to Guinea in early 2022. - - - FIFA world ranking Dec 2023: 80

How they qualified: Runners up in Group D, behind Egypt but ahead of Malawi and Ethiopia Squad

Goalkeepers: Moussa Camara (Horoya), Aly Keita (Ostersund), Ibrahim Kone (Hibernians) Defenders: Mohamed Ali Camara (Young Boys Berne), Antoine Conte (Botev Plovdiv), Mouctar Diakhaby (Valencia), Ibrahim Diakite (Stade Reims), Julian Jeanvier (Kayserispor), Saidou Sow (Racing Strasbourg), Issiaga Sylla (Montpellier), Sekou Oumar Sylla (Cambuur Leeuwarden)

Midfielders: Aguibou Camara (Atromitos), Karim Cisse (Saint-Etienne), Seydouba Cisse (Leganes), Amadou Diawara (Anderlecht), Naby Keita (Werder Bremen), Mory Konate (KV Mechelen), Ilaix Moriba (RB Leipzig), Abdoulaye Toure (Le Havre), Forwards: Mohamed Bayo (Le Havre), Facinet Conte (Bastia), Morgan Guilavogui (Racing Lens), Serhou Guirassy (VfB Stuttgart), Francois Kamano (Abha), Jose Martinez Kante (Urawa Red Diamonds). ($1 = 0.9144 euros) (Compiled by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Toby Davis)