The Africa Cup of Nations reaches the quarter-final stage this weekend with a series of mouthwatering ties between the continents heavyweights. AFP Sport picks out five stars enjoying their first AFCON to look out for in the last eight:
Brahim Diaz Real Madrid/MoroccoMoroccans were perhaps pinning their hopes of Cup of Nations glory on home soil on skipper Achraf Hakimi. But while the African player of the year hardly featured in the group stage as he recovered from injury, Diaz wasted no time in becoming their key man.
Diaz, 26, has scored in every game including the crucial strike to beat Tanzania in the last 16. That makes him the tournaments leading marksman on four goals.
