Guinea is in Group B of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament with Madagascar, Nigeria and Burundi. AFCON 2019 will be hosted by Egypt.
The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli Nationale (National Elephants), is the national team of Guinea and is controlled by the Guinean Football Federation.
Guinea made their footballing debut in an away friendly on 9 May 1962, losing 2–1 against Togo. Their biggest defeat came on July 2, 1972, losing 6-0 to Zaire while they recorded their highest margin in the game against Mauritania on May 20, 1972, winning by 14-0.
They have never qualified for the World Cup finals, and their best finish in the Africa Cup of Nations was second in 1976. The team have reached the quarter-finals in four recent tournaments (2004, 2006, 2008, 2015).
The Guinea national football team is currently coached by Paul Put who was appointed on March 2018 replacing Lappé Bangoura.
Put was manager of the Gambian national team between 2008 and 2011, before being appointed as manager of Burkina Faso in March 2012.
He had previously managed Belgian club sides Geel, Lokeren and Lierse, before being banned for three-years by the Royal Belgian Football Association for his alleged involvement in the Ye Zheyun match-fixing scandal. He has also managed the Jordan national team, USM Alger, Kenyan national team and Chinese club Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard.
Read also:
AFCON 2019: Profile of Egypt national team
AFCON 2019: Profile of Burundi national team
Retired Pascal Feindouno doubles as the country’s all-time top scorer and most caps with 30 goals in 93 appearances. In his prime, he was widely recognised as one of the best footballers to come out of Guinea.
Talisman and captain Naby Keita who plies his trade for Liverpool will be leading his charges in AFCON 2019 to go past their best finish in 1976.
The Syli Nationale is currently ranked 68th in the World and 12th in Africa, with its lowest ranking coming on May 23 being placed 123rd whilst achieving their highest in August 2006 and January 2007 occupying the 22nd position.
