FEATURE: Serhou Guirassy - The Guinean juggernaut set to light up the AFCON

 Across the European top leagues in the 2023/24 season, a lot of top signings have emerged giving good results for supporters to cheer. To mention a few, Jude Bellingham, Victor Boniface, Marcus Thuram have all made moves to emerge as top signings in their various clubs this season as a lot of people tip the young English player Jude Bellingham, who won the Best Player of Bundesliga last season as the topmost signing of the season so far from Dortmund to Real Madrid.

One player who has taken world football by storm is a certain 27-year-old Guinean striker Serhou Guirassy who plies his trade with VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Born in France to Guinean parents, the German based striker has been with Lille, FC Koln, Amiens and Stade Rennais.

During last season, he was loaned to VfB Stuttgart with an option to buy. As the ongoing season was about starting, the deal was made permanent in a 3 year move. 
    
Serhou Guirassy in his second season with Stuttgart, has been a thorn in the flesh of defenders, dismantling opponents and scoring for fun. In the first 5 matches of this season, he scored 10 goals including a hat trick against Mainz 05 to equal previous record set by Robert Lewandowski in the 2020/21 season.

The Guinean striker's strength is his ability to find pocket of spaces, besides his spacial awareness of his teammates and opposition's defence is what makes him special in finding the back of the net. 
    
Born in Arles, in France, Serhou represented the French U-16, U-19 and U-20 between 2012 to 2016. 
The French born striker decided to switch his nationality to represent his parental heritage as he debuted in a goalless draw against South Africa on 25th March 2022. 

Guinean football boasted of top talents like Petit Sory, Bengala Sylla, Amara Toure, Pape Camara and Sharif Soulaymane who won African Best Player Award in 1972. 

Hafia Club were dominant in terms of continental club football. The Guinean club won Africa Cup of Champion Clubs which is now referred to as the CAF Champions League in 1972, 1975 and 1977. As a result, the dominance translated into international football as the country were runners up in 1976 Afcon hosted by Ethiopia.
   
Titi Camara later on emerged in the 1990's as Guinea's top player as he lighted up European top leagues with his stints at St Etienne, Lens and Marseille all in France and later on to Liverpool and West Africa in the Premier League. 

His retirement created a gap that was filled by the country's most capped player Pascal Feindouno, Fode Mansare, Soulaymane Youla and Ismail Bangoura to mention a few.
As the final squad of the Syli Nationale of Guinea has been announced by Coach Kaba Diawara that includes Serhou Guirassy, the German based striker is set to make his first appearance in the continental showpiece with his blockbuster performance from his club, VfB Stuttgart where he has scored 17 goals in 14 matches which is absolutely incredible. 

His partnership with Francois Kamano, Mohammed Bayo and strong midfield of Naby Keita, Ilaix Moriba and Amadou Diawara will make Guineans believe in their top marks man who has lighted up the Bundesliga this season at the Afcon. 
    
Paired with in Group C with 5 time Champions, Cameroon and defending champions Senegal, alongside fellow West Africans Gambia who were quarter finalists in Cameroon 2021, Guinea is expected to face a stiff competition in the AFCON despite having Serhou Guirassy who is expected to light up the tournament as their shield.

Story by: Mohammed Awal Hudu (Kessben FM/TV)

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