AFCON 2025: All you need to know about Equatorial Guinea

The country

Capital: Malabo

Area: 28,000 km 2

Population: 1.7 million inhabitants

Official language: Portuguese

Inhabitants: Equato-Guineans

Team nickname: Nzalang Nacional

Equatorial Guinea and the AFCON
Title(s): 0

Final(s): 0

Participations before CAN 2025: 4

Host country: 2

Course at the AFCON

2012: quarter final

2015: 4th place

2021: quarter final

2023: Round of 16

Assessment at the AFCON

19 matches played

8 victories

5 nuls

6 defeats

20 goals scored

19 goals conceded

If the 2023 AFCON in Côte d'Ivoire was the most prolific in the history of Equatorial Guinea (9 goals), it is largely thanks to Emilio Nsue who finished best scorer of the competition with 5 goals scored by himself.

At 36 years old, the striker of CF Intercity (4th Spanish division) remains the offensive leader of the Nzalang Nacional, even though he has had some differences with his Federation after the Ivorian AFCON for having denounced dysfunctions within the team. 

With her experience and efficiency, Nsue will want to mark what looks like her last AFCON in Morocco to go out the big door and make way for a new generation. He still needs to be included in the list after recent events with the reinstatement of coach Juan Micha Obiang.

Arrived on the bench of Equatorial Guinea in October 2020, Juan Micha is expected to lead his country’s selection at the 2021 AFCON held in 2022 in Cameroon. After seven years of absence and a 4th place (best performance) at home during the AFCON 2015, the expectations of Equato-Guineans were immense towards their national team. 

And Juan Micha did not disappoint. The latter led his country to the quarter-finals before losing in shots on goal against Mali (0-0-, 5-6) with two misses of his two best elements, notably Pablo Ganet and Emilio Nsue. But the Nzalang Nacional surprised a large audience and Micha’s paw was visible.

In Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea caused a sensation by humiliating the host country during the last day of the Group phase, winning 4-0. However, she will stop in the eighth final, eliminated by Guinea’s Kaba Diawara, not without difficulty with the winning goal scored by Mohamed Bayo at the end of the additional time (90+8).

In two participations (2021 and 2023), Equatorial Guinea has never been eliminated in the first round of the AFCON under Juan Micha. The 2025 AFCON in Morocco will be a new challenge for him, with Burkina Faso, Sudan and Algeria in the group stage.