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Mali have been a resurgent force in African football in the past decade, aided by the introduction of a number of French-born players to their armoury.
The likes of strikers Frédéric Kanouté and Jimmy Kébé, as well as midfielder Mohamed Sissoko, have made a big impact on the international scene for The Eagles, but they have also brought through a Golden Generation of home-grown talent too in the form of Seydou Keita, Mamadou Diallo and Adama Coulibaly.
The side’s best finish in a Nations Cup came in their first appearance in the showpiece finals in Cameroon in 1972 when they lost 3-2 in the final to Congo.
Fantamady Keita finished top-scorer at the finals with fine goals and would go on to be one of the first players from his country to forge a successful career in Europe when he joined Rennes in France.
It would be a long 22-year before the team reached their next Nations Cup, but again they did well, finishing fourth in Tunisia.

That fourth-place finish was repeated in the 2002 (which they hosted) and 2004 events, though in their last outing in Ghana in 2008 they disappointed with a first round exit.
They are currently coached by former Nigeria star Stephen Keshi, who led Togo to the 2006 World Cup in Germany before being replaced by Otto Pfister.

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