TotalEnergies CHAN offers global platform for home-based talents
The continent is set for another exciting football festival as Algeria are welcoming teams for the seventh edition of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) which kicks off on Friday.
CHAN, the unique tournament designed exclusively for players plying their trade in their domestic leagues, has proven to be a good avenue for the footballers to display their talents.
Since its inception in 2009 in Cote d’Ivoire, the CHAN has provided the avenue for players playing domestic football to be recognized at the national level.
It is also an opportunity for such talented players to be recognised by their senior national team coaches, resulting in several call-ups for such previously unknown talent.
The TotalEnergies CHAN has now evolved into a competition keenly watched by scouts for new talents from Africa as most squads of the senior national teams of Africa are dominated by players plying their trade abroad.
The past six editions of the competition have also produced some of the finest footballers the continent can boast of, leading to big career moves at home or abroad.
Big moves after the CHAN
A host of players landed big deals to move to some of the top leagues in Africa, Europe and Asia thanks to their performances at the CHAN.
Morocco's World Cup star Jawad El Yamiq, who was part of his country's TotalEnergies CHAN 2018 winning squad caught the attention of officials of Genoa during the competition hosted by his country.
The Italian Serie A side secured his services from Raja Casablanca shortly after the tournament and has since played for Perugia and Spanish sides Real Zaragoza and Real Valladolid.
His rise to prominence from the CHAN to a World Cup star is just one of the many success stories for players whose club careers have been properly shaped by their participation in this unique competition.
Tunisian winger Zouheir Dhaouadi, who was named MVP of the 2011 edition, penned a deal with French outfit Évian immediately after the competition while the MVP of the 2014 tournament, Ejike Uzoenyi of Nigeria swapped Enugu Rangers for Mamelodi Sundowns a few weeks after the event in South Africa.
The likes of Farouk Miya, Meschak Elia, Moumi Ngamaleu, Chisom Chikatara, Ahmed Akaïchi, and Serge Yao N'Guessan made big moves following their impressive performances at the 2016 tournament in Rwanda.
The MVP and top scorer of the 2018 tournament Ayoub El Kaabi switched from RS Berkane to Hebei China Fortune after his performances steered Morocco to their first TotalEnergies CHAN trophy.
Nigeria's Gabriel Okechukwu moved to Wydad Athletic after officials of the Moroccan side watched the former Akwa United forward powering Nigeria to the final.
A similar story can be told of Morocco's golden boy Soufiane Rahimi, whose market value skyrocketed at the TotalEnergies CHAN 2020 in Cameroon, earning him a move to UAE giants Al Ain.
He excited fans and finished as the top scorer and best player while Guinea's Morlaye Sylla, the best young player of CHAN 2020, moved to Portuguese top-flight club Arouca after the tournament.
The future CHAN stars
The 2022 edition of the TotalEnergies CHAN is an opportunity to discover more talents from the continent as some have shown glimpses of what should be expected from them.
Cameroon's Jerome Ngom Mbekeli, who provided the assist for the Indomitable lions' match winner against Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, will be among the players to watch in Algeria.
Angolan defender Daniel Jose Kilola,23, who finished as the Palancas Negras top scorer in the qualifiers will also be another exciting talent while Ghanaian striker Daniel Afriyie Barnieh will also attract interest.