Togo have appeared at six Africa Cup of Nations finals tournaments and they have never progressed beyond the first round.
The West Africans first participated in the finals in 1972 and they have been regulars in recent years, qualifying for five of the last seven AFCONs. However, in 2010, they withdrew from the tournament in Angola after a terrorist attack on their team bus.
CAF controversially banned them from participating in the 2012 and 2013 tournaments due to their withdrawal, but the decision was later rescinded. Togo were then placed in Group K, which accounts for it being the largest qualifying group and its early start.
‘Les Eperviers’ (the Sparrow Hawks) have Thierry Froger as their coach. The 47-year-old Frenchman spent his entire playing and managerial career in his home land before taking up the Togo job earlier this year.
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor is undoubtedly Togo’s key player: both captain and talisman, much of their hopes rest on his shoulders.
Lalawele Atakora of Togo tackled by Jonathan Mpangi Bolingi of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Neeskens Kebano of DR Congo battles for the ball with Lalawele Atakora of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Mathieu Dossevi of Togo battles for the ball with Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo evades challenge from Razak Boukari of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Razak Boukari of Togo tackled by Yousuf Mulumbu of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Mathieu Dossevi of Togo battles for the ball with Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo evades challenge from Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Junior Kalonji of DR Congo gets away from Bebou Ihlas of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Neeskens Kebano of DR Congo tackled by Bebou Ihlas of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Lalawele Atakora of Togo gets away from Firmin Ndombe Mubele of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Neeskens Kebano of DR Congo battles for the ball with Ortega Dakonam Djene of Togo (l) and Lalawele Atakora of Togo (r) during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Firmin Ndombe Mubele of DR Congo evades challenge from Ortega Dakonam Djene of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo fouled by Merveille Bope of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo fouled by Merveille Bope of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Togo and DR Congo at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Lalawele Atakora of Togo challenged by Mbark Boussoufa, (l) Karim Aroussi El Ahmadi, (c) and Aziz Bouhaddouz of Morocco during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Morocco and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 20 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Bebou Ihlas of Togo challenged by Faycal Fajr of Morocco during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Morocco and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 20 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Atakora Lalawele awarded Total man of the match during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo challenged by Adama Traore of Ivory Coast during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Wilfried Zaha of Ivory Coast challenged by Djene Ortega of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Franck Kessié of Ivory Coast challenged by Sedat Ouro-akoriko of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Jacques-Al Romao of Togo challenged by Wilfried Zaha of Ivory Coast during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Serge Aurier of Ivory Coast challenged by Bagayoko Mamadou of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Frank Kessie of Ivory Coast challenged by Atakora Lalawele of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Frank Kessie of Ivory Coast challenged by Atakora Lalawele of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Wilfried Zaha et les Ivoiriens ont buté sur le Togo
Jonathan Kodji of Ivory Coast challenged by Kossi Agassa of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Mathieu Dossevi of Togo challenged by Adama Traore of Ivory Coast during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Diene Ortega of Togo challenged by Wilfried Zaha of Ivory Coast during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Salomon Kalou of Ivory Coast challenged by Cheik Doukoure of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Jonathan Kodji of Ivory Coast challenged by Serge Gakpe of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Jonathan Kodji of Ivory Coast challenged by Serge Gakpe of Togo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and Togo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 16 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Godfrey Walusimbi of Uganda Cranes challenges Dossevi Matthieu of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Ouro Akoriko of Togo challenge Geofrey Massa of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Eninful Akoete of Togo challenges William Luwaga Kizito of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Godfrey Walusimbi of Uganda Cranes challenges Dossevi Matthieu of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Godfrey Walusimbi of Uganda (right) challenges Dossevi Matthieu of Togo recently
Eninful Akoete of Togo evades challenge from Farouk Miya of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Tonny Mawejje of Uganda Cranes challenges Eninful Akoete of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Dossevi Matthieu of Togo challenges Dennis Iguma of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Akakpo Serge of Togo challenges Geofrey Massa of Uganda Cranes during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
William Luwaga Kizito of Uganda Cranes challenges Djene Dakonam of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Farouk Miya of Uganda Cranes challenges Eninful Akoete of Togo during the return leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifiers on 15 November 2015 at Mandela Stadium, Namboole, Kampala. ©Ismail Kezaala/BackpagePix
Togo
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