"Many Europeans don't understand how big this tournament is," says Reading's Cameroonian defender André Bikey. "To Africans this is as big as the World Cup. In England you have cricket and rugby and other sports but in Africa football is everything. For us players it's a chance to give some joy to our people - our people don't care what we do at our clubs, only what we do for our countries is important."
That pretty much sums it up right there.
The African Cup of Nations means A LOT to these players and a lot to the fans.
Today's Guardian Unlimited features an article detailing what the Cup of Nations means to its star players.
Here's another great quote. Have a go at the article above.
The former Sierra Leone player and manager Leroy Rosenior strikes a similar note. "For Africans, representing our country means much more than it does to England internationals. When we go out on the pitch we're playing not just for money or our own reputations but for our families, our communities, for everyone. We're also very concerned about the legacy we leave, and letting people down is not a legacy anyone wants to leave."
The Cup starts Sunday. Can't wait!!!!
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