African Nations Cup record

Previous appearances in finals: (17) 1970, 1972, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015.

Best performance: Winners 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002

Drawn in Group A with Burkina Faso, Gabon and Guinea Bissau

Coach: Hugo Broos

The Belgian has had a tough year since replacing Volke Finke but has been resolute in freshening up the team despite heavy media criticism.

The 64-year-old was a Belgian international, playing at the World Cup in Mexico in 1986 where they finished fourth, and spending his career at Anderlecht and their arch-rivals Club Bruges.

He also coached both clubs, winning the Belgian league with Bruges in 1992 and 1996 and with Anderlecht in 2004.

He moved abroad in 2008 to coach in Greece and Turkey and later in Algeria.

Key player: Benjamin Moukandjo. Age 28. Winger.

Vital goals from Moukandjo have made him a consistent first choice for the Indomitable Lions in a year in which there have been considerable changes to the team.

A product of the Kadji Academy, he moved to France at the age of 19 after being signed by Stade Rennes but never made the grade there, moving to Nimes and Monaco.

English clubs scouted him during his time at Monaco, even though he got relegated with the side in 2011 but he stayed in France, suffering relegation again at Nancy in 2013.

His current side Lorient are propping up Ligue 1 this season.

FIFA world ranking Jan. 2015: 65

How they qualified: Top placed team in Group M, ahead of Mauritania, South Africa and Gambia.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jules Goda (Ajaccio), Georges Mbokwe (Coton Sport), Fabrice Ondoa (Sevilla)

Defenders: Fai Collins (Standard Liege), Mohamed Djeitei (Gimnastic Tarragona), Ernest Mabouka (MSK Zilina), Michael Ngadeu Ngadjui (Slavia Prague), Jonathan Ngwem (Progresso Sambizanga), Nicolas Nkoulou (Olympqiue Lyonnais), Ambroise Oyongo (Montreal Impact), Adolphe Teikeu (Sochaux)

Midfielders: Franck Boya (Apejes), Arnaud Djoum (Heart of Midlothian), Georges Mandjeck (Metz), Benjamin Moukandjo (Lorient), Edgar Salli (St Gallen), Sebastien Siani (Oostende)

Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar (Besiktas), Christian Bassogog (Aalborg), Clinton Njie (Olympique Marseille), Robert Ndip Tambe (Spartak Trnava), Karl Toko-Ekambi (Angers), Jacques Zoua (Kaiserslautern) (Compiled by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)