The triumph, taking place in the same country as the side's devastating tragedy in 1993, may have disappointed Ivory Coast fans, but any neutral can only marvel at the southern Africans' fairytale win - a mental and sporting triumph which beat the odds in similar fashion to the European titles of Denmark (1992) and Greece (2004), or that of Iraq's 2007 Asian champions.

Rank outsiders to win this competition, the Zambian squad repeatedly cited the devastating air disaster that killed 18 of their national team off the coast of Gabon 19 years ago as an inspiration to do well - a mission statement that even their own fans struggled to believe at first.

Lest we forget, the Chipolopolo don't even have a proper home after Lusaka's main stadium was declared unsafe a few years back while they also travelled to the Nations Cup with an injury to key man Jacob Mulenga, one half of the country's entire Europe-based contingent.

Zambian players hold up a banner commemorating the Chipolopolo players, coaches and officials who died in the 1993 air disaster off the coast of Gabon

When the Nations Cup draw was made last October, it transpired that because Zambia were to be based in Equatorial Guinea - the co-hosts - the only way they would get to play a match in Gabon was if they reached the final.

This seemed most unlikely. The Chipolopolo were 40/1 to win the competition, one of their best players was injured, they had just changed their coach and they were up against a highly fancied Senegal side in Group A.

But what could have seemed an insurmountable obstacle was viewed as a mere trifle, with many in the squad seeing the match-up with Senegal as a sign of destiny for a delegation led by Kalusha Bwalya, who only missed the ill-fated 1993 flight because he was playing in Europe at the time and travelled to the match on his own.

"Our first game was against Senegal and the team was on its way to Senegal for a match when the plane crashed," said Zambia coach Herve Renard, who dedicated the title to Bwalya.

"The plane crashed in Gabon and we won the final in Gabon. It was a sign of destiny, written in the sky. There was a force with us. I think God has helped us."

In 1994, Bwalya improbably inspired a team of one-time reserves to the most unlikely place in a Nations Cup final as a newly constructed side relied upon team spirit to finish runners-up. Nearly two decades on, that same emotional courage delivered unforgettable success.

But crucially, Zambia also had a talented team to back up that courage - for all the understandable talk, there is otherwise surely only so far mental strength can take you.

Despite accommodation problems and boasting a squad of Africa-based players, the Chipolopolo tore apart the Senegal of Demba Ba, Papiss Demba Cisse and Mamadou Niang in their opening game, winning 2-1 after blitzing a ragged defence with some thrilling free-flowing football.

The rollercoaster had begun, with Rainford Kalaba, Emmanuel Mayuka and captain Chris Katongo looking an exciting frontline.

After a 2-2 draw with Libya and a 1-0 win over their Equatoguinean co-hosts, Zambia topped Group A to avoid a quarter-final clash with favourites Ivory Coast. Instead they met, and defeated, Sudan 3-0 in the first match to be played at the finals after the Port Said disaster in Egypt, with the minute's silence for the victims of that tragedy no doubt providing a further moment of reflection for the Zambians.

Remarkably, the Chipolopolo were through to the semi-finals but their problems were hardly at an end - World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana lay in wait. Renard trotted out the old line about his team being under no pressure while Black Star Sulley Muntari dismissed the Frenchman, who worked with the Ghanaians during the 2008 Nations Cup, as just a physical trainer.

But a man who started out coaching amateur sides at the weekends, while running a cleaning company in the week, had the last laugh, keeping Switzerland-based Mayuka - a player attracting the attention of many European clubs - on the bench until late in the second half, before he grabbed a glorious winner.

Only now could the Zambians fly to Gabon, where the delegation wasted no time in honouring the fallen heroes of 1993, holding a special ceremony shortly after landing on the nearest mainland spot to where the plane had come down just half a kilometre away.

Kalusha Bwalya (in suit) is flanked by Sports Minister Chisimba Kambwili (left) and national captain Chris Katongo (right) at Thursday's beach ceremony, while coach Herve Renard (far left) keeps to the sidelines

Back in 1993, a crowd of 100,000 lined the streets for the state funeral of the players - their coffins draped in national flags - as a country mourned, emotions best exemplified by the moving eulogy of veteran Zambian commentator Dennis Liwewe.

In the run-up to the final, the BBC spoke to Freeman Chabala, whose goalkeeper father Efford Chabala died in the Gabon disaster, and even though winning against Ivory Coast on Sunday would not bring his father back, Freeman said he believed it would close a chapter.

"[The final] is bringing the memory of our fallen heroes - our parents - to mind," he said. "The players are there to represent us and we are all counting on them, so I expect them to do their best so that they can finish the job."

They did and in the most dramatic fashion, as Didier Drogba missed a spot-kick in regulation time before an absorbing, albeit goalless, final went to a penalty shoot-out, won by Zambia, thanks in no small part to goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene (who scored one himself during the shoot-out).

It was the final twist in a tournament full of them - led by Equatorial Guinea knocking out Senegal, before fellow co-hosts Gabon did the same to Morocco in the game of the finals.

Zambia had done it the hard way and the best way, playing the most expansive football at a finals where they beat the three favourites - Senegal, Ghana and an Ivory Coast side who were desperately unlucky to lose the tournament without conceding a single goal.

Opportunities will arise for the skilful Kalaba and Mayuka, formerly linked with Newcastle United and whose potential arrival can only be helped by Zambia's impending rise above the English work permit threshold of 70th place in the Fifa rankings.

While the players and an emotional Bwalya celebrated, fans back home freely admitted they had never expected the success - with some supporters going to pray on Monday at the graves of the 18 players.

"We wanted to win the trophy so those who died may rest in peace," said winger Felix Katongo, before boarding the plane home in Libreville, at the very airport where the fallen heroes last set foot on the ground. "Now their souls are at peace."

At long last, Zambian football has entered a new era.

As in Angola two years ago, where Togo's team bus was ambushed by separatist rebels, the Egyptian tragedy has an overtly political feel underpinning it - with many far closer involved than I discussing the divisions (e.g. rebellion-backing Al Ahly fans taking on a resentful police force) that prompted the appalling scenes.

The tragedy also resulted in the retirement of an African footballing legend - Mohamed Aboutrika - the Al Ahly midfielder who won two Nations Cup titles (scoring the winner in the 2008 final) for Egypt and would have had three had he not missed the last tournament through injury.

But the question of who will replace the Pharaohs as kings of Africa is still open to healthy debate after a first round that contained some incredible shocks, wonderful matches and outstanding goals.

Gabon fans celebrate their last-gasp win over Morocco, a result which took the Panthers to the Nations Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1996

All three could be found in last week's victory for co-hosts Equatorial Guinea over Senegal, as the lowest-ranked side to contest a Nations Cup in living memory dumped one of the most fancied teams out of the competition - with Kily's 25-yard drive, four minutes into injury time, a suitably stunning goal for a shock of this magnitude (one which, I know from the flood of texts received, was joyously celebrated on Tyneside).

It barely needed repeating yet it was further evidence of the extraordinary morale-boosting power of home advantage, and not - on this occasion - because debatable refereeing results were going the hosts' way.

The second stand-out tie involved the other co-hosts as Gabon beat dark horses Morocco in surely the match of the finals so far, with not just the shock of the referee awarding a penalty against the Panthers in the 90th minute (kudos to you, Mr Bakary Gassama) but then the exquisite free-kick that won the game 3-2 in the 98th minute to knock out Eric Gerets's men.

Unlike the Senegalese, who did less than a holidaying sloth on a slow day, the Moroccans did at least have some players who left their mark - most notably, the excellent duo of number 10 Younes Belhanda and captain Houssine Kharja.

They didn't deserve to be going home after the first round, just like Burkina Faso midfielder Alain Traore (what a left peg), Manucho of Angola (who seems back to his best) and Guinea's effervescent midfielder Ibrahima Traore.

Others are staying, such as Zambian duo Chris Katongo and Emmanuel Mayuka, and their lively Zambian side take on Sudan in Saturday's first quarter-final in Bata.

History has been made for a handful of teams at these finals, with Libya winning their first Nations Cup game in 30 years, but that seems a mere slip compared to the 42 Sudan fans had to wait between their triumph in the 1970 final itself and beating Burkina Faso on Monday.

Their quarter-final place was barely foreseen, even among Sudanese fans themselves, who took to the streets in impromptu celebration afterwards, so coach Mazda can feel extreme pride for leading his entirely domestic based squad to the last eight.

This Zambian side seems to fire under the guidance of coach Herve Renard, whose devotion to his job was clear to see as the Frenchman went livid with his technical advisors despite the Chipolopolo is leading co-hosts Equatorial Guinea on Monday - with Renard later slamming his side's attacking instincts.

Whatever the root cause, the Chipolopolo are the opposite to the Senegalese - a team that is more than the sum of its parts and where teamwork is key.

Zambia captain Chris Katongo celebrates his match-winner against Equatorial Guinea in flying fashion, as Emmanuel Mayuka looks on

In Saturday's second game, an Ivory Coast side that has been playing well within itself takes on the co-hosts in the biggest game in the history of Equatoguinean men's football.

The bad news for the National Lightning is that the game will be played in the 15,000-capacity Malabo stadium, whose open nature is no match for the atmosphere generated in the bowl-like Bata stadium, which can host over 35,000 fans.

The Elephants have yet to get out of second gear so will they click up against the co-hosts or can Javier Balboa, Juvenal and Thierry Fidjeu spring an even bigger surprise?

The other co-hosts kick off the action on Sunday, when Gabon will be very much at home in Libreville's Stade de l'Amitie, the arena which will host the final on Sunday week.

Panthers fans will once again look to the forward line of star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, veteran Daniel Cousin and the experienced Eric Mouloungui to deliver the goods, against a defence which has been superbly marshalled by captain - and Panathinaikos centre-back - Cedric Kante so far.

But the tie of the round could come in Sunday's last quarter-final when Ghana take on 2004 champions Tunisia. Organisers in Gabon have said they will hand out free tickets for this match in an attempt to avoid thousands of empty seats but then again, nearly half the population of Franceville - the birth place of the ruling Bongo family - could fit into the 25,000-seater stadium by all accounts.

Youssef Msakni has proved a real dangerman, as Morocco and Niger can attest, and his creativity has lit up a Tunisian side that can look pedestrian without his flair. But at the back, Karim Hagui struggled against the power and pace of Niger's Moussa Maazou so Asamoah Gyan will fancy his chances of taking him on - but is the Black Star fully fit?

Ghanaian fans may not be too bothered if the midfield can keep producing goals of the quality of Emmanuel Agyemang Badu against Guinea - the strike of the tournament so far for me, although team-mate Gyan, Equatorial Guinea's Kily, Gabon's Bruno-Zita Mbanangoye, Manucho, Msakni and dozens of you might disagree.

Two years ago, the Cabinda tragedy cast a huge shadow over the Nations Cup and seemed to affect some of the football played thereafter. So as the continent's football tries to disperse the latest cloud over it, can the quarter-finalists find the African game's true voice on the pitch and speak most eloquently from there? Let's hope they can.

The absence of defending champions Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria means that the trophy will have a different name on it for the first time in 20 years - unless Tunisia win it, that is.

The Carthage Eagles, who lifted the trophy on home soil in 2004, are the only team at the finals to have won the competition since the early 1990s. In 1992, this year's favourites, Ivory Coast, beat Ghana in a final played in Senegal - and these three countries headline the leading acts at this month's tournament.

The Senegalese are the first in action, playing in Saturday's opening round of Group A matches, meaning that Newcastle United fans won't have to wait long to catch a first glimpse of their new number 9 - but whether the freescoring Papiss Demba Cisse starts against Zambia is open to question.

Most bookmakers have Senegal at what seems a generous 6/1, with Ghana rated at 4/1 while Ivory Coast are the stand-out favourites at 6/4 - but whether they can handle this tag is another matter.

Ivory Coast are bookmakers' favourites, but come with a reputation as chokers

The Elephants earned a "chokers" tag following failures in 2006, 2008 and 2010 (fully deserving the label on the last occasion after they blew a 90th-minute lead in the quarter-finals against Algeria) and coach Francois Zahoui is fully aware of his side's previous mental failings, saying this week that the Ivorians' status as favourites is one "we need to manage psychologically better".

As Yaya Toure says, it's time to deliver and while Manchester City fans may hope the Elephants stumble early on so that he can help their nervy title campaign, long-suffering fans in Ivory Coast will only accept one result from this supposedly gilt-edged generation.

Any slip-up in a group containing Burkina Faso, Angola and Sudan could lead them to face Senegal in the quarters since the Teranga Lions should comfortably depose of Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Zambia in Group A. Indeed if all goes to plan, the Ivorians are set to meet likely Group D table-toppers Ghana in the Libreville final on 12 February.

The Black Stars look well-placed to win their first trophy since 1982 and enjoy that trusty blend of youth and experience - with old-timers like John Mensah and John Paintsil mixing with Asamoah Gyan (still only 26) and youngsters Andre "Dede" Ayew, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu and Kojo Asamoah (who could do with a decent finals).

Coach Goran Stevanovic - who seems to have taken over from World Cup coach Milovan Rajevac effortlessly - makes no secret of his belief that his charges have the ability to be African champions and relishes the pressure in a way Ivorians appear not to.

While these may be the major players, although Morocco's Atlas Lions (boasting Premier League names in Marouane Chamakh and Adel Taarabt) look strong too, the supporting cast is just as intriguing.

All those involved with Zambian football are feeling raw emotions as the Chipolopolo contest a finals in an area where most of the national team died in a plane crash in 1993 - the plane coming down off the coast of Gabon en route to a game in Senegal who, fittingly perhaps, Zambia meet in their opening game.

Niger are among a trio of Cup of Nations debutants, along with Botswana and co-hosts Equatorial Guinea

Libya are also set to steal many headlines as a team representing a new nation comes out in new colours, with a new nickname, anthem and flag, and boasting former rebel soldiers among their number.

The newly named Mediterranean Knights meet an incredibly limited Equatorial Guinea side in Saturday's opening match, when a team that has never come close to qualifying for the Nations Cup makes its tournament debut.

Given that they lost their last competitive match 2-1 to Madagascar - a World Cup qualifier in November - and that their coach took charge just 18 days ago, any point is going to be welcome for a side whose naturalisation of foreign players has rankled many with genuine Equatoguinean heritage in the squad.

Some have been critical of taking the tournament to Equatorial Guinea, a country that has been criticised over its human rights record, and to Gabon, which put its oil wealth to such effect that the Central African nation once had the world's highest per capita consumption of champagne.

There is also the question of how many travelling fans will actually be there, given the problems many journalists have had acquiring visas, and whether we are set for another Nations Cup where the stands are depressingly empty for any game not involving the host.

The Equatoguineans are joined by Niger and Botswana as debutants at the finals, but it will be a major upset - albeit a most welcome one - should any of them get out of their groups.

For aside, obviously, from the absence of any repeat ofa Cabinda-style tragedy, what would be most welcome at these finals would be some decent games. Too often, recent Nations Cup matches have appeared one-sided affairs - and I can only recall four games with any fondness from the last finals (where, as discussed before, teams seemed to win through not because of their class but simply because one of them had to).

From a neutral's perspective, it would enjoyable if the big teams' absence leads to a more even playing field - one where teams that go behind have the wherewithal to fight back to win (as has happened just six times in the last 68 matches) - and if a new generation of stars can seize the opportunity this power vacuum leaves.

With Samuel Eto'o, Osaze Odemwingie and Ahmed Hassan among the notable absentees, can the likes of Alain Traore and Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Oussama Darragui (Tunisia), Modibo Maiga (Mali) and Alhassane Bangoura (Guinea) steal their thunder?

It's second nature - a ritual almost without thought - as is playing football for most of the world's enthusiasts. But would you risk your life to carry out either pastime?

I only ask because they do in Somalia, which is why you might like to root for their embattled footballers on Saturday - especially if you have Britain's traditional fondness for the underdog.

Because there can be few teams with the odds more stacked against them than the collection of individuals who face a daily fight just to play the game - often having to disguise their intentions to do so.

Football is hugely popular in Somalia despite the numerous challenges affecting both the watching and playing of the game.

Saturday marks the beginning of Somalia's 2014 World Cup adventure, although just making it to the start line for their preliminary qualifier against Ethiopia is creditworthy enough.

The Somalis' 'home leg' will actually be played in Djibouti though because Somalia - widely described as a failed state and without an effective government in two decades - is considered too dangerous to host matches.

Living in the middle of a war zone is the first hurdle for Somalia's footballers. It was one which Under-20 starlet Abdi Salaan Mohamed Ali was unable to overcome in February, after he became the tragic victim of a suicide bomber after leaving training one day.

Then there's the mere challenge of just being able to play football at all.

For notwithstanding the country's drought, famine and political instability, the game is outlawed in many parts of Somalia by the militant Islamist group al-Shabab, which has links to al-Qaeda.

And despite the heavy involvement of many of the world's Muslim nations in national and international football, playing football in Somalia is fraught with danger.

"It was four years ago that they described football as unIslamic or Satanic," says Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar, the Somali Football Federation (SFF) press officer. "According to the Islamists, football is totally banned in Somalia - as it is something that steers the young people away from the path of Islam."

So much so that Somalia is a place where al-Shabab cannot even tolerate people watching the game on television.

Those Somalis wishing to play football, especially the ones who have to travel in from al-Shabab controlled areas, go to extraordinary lengths to play.

They regularly hide their football kits under Islamic dress as they cross checkpoints into the government-controlled areas, so that no militant will discover their real intention.

"That's the culture - because the young players want to train and play," says the SFF's secretary general, Abdi Qani. "Normally, every place in Mogadishu or Somalia is a risk but the objective of the young generation is to play or watch or support football - that is the aim."

Football in Somalia is exceptionally popular - some estimating that 85-90% of the population love the game.

And those who run Somali football display unbridled passion as they work tirelessly to ensure the game can continue, often at sizeable personal cost both in terms of time and money.

Qani has spent much of his recent time trying to raise cash from the Somali diaspora on sponsorship crusades in Europe.

Mogadishu has been decimated by the many years of fighting, which have made investment in sport a low priority for a government battling insurgency, drought and famine

Because without governmental support and a wholesale absence of sponsorship, the SFF survives on the annual US$250,000 (£157,000) grant that every national association receives from Fifa - but which many dismiss as chicken feed (Brazil's sponsorship deal is worth over US$100m).

Victory over Ethiopia would take Somalia into a financially-crippling qualifying group that would involve trips to South Africa, Botswana and Central African Republic. I asked Qani the faintly-absurd question of whether he actually wants to win the two-legged play-off.

"We're 100% committed to winning and if we do win, we're preparing to ask Fifa and the Confederation of African Football for special financial support for Somalia," he replied.

As athletes like former world 1500m champion Abdi Bile and Somali-born British athlete Mo Farah have proved, and footballers like Chelsea teenager Islam Feruz may do in future, there is real talent in Somalia.

There is also a devotion to sport that almost beggars belief.

Earlier this year, al-Shabab called the captain of the Somali women's basketball team to give her a choice - either stop playing basketball or be killed - with Islamists having issued an order back in 2006 which banned Somali women from playing sport.

"I will only die when my life runs out - no one can kill me but Allah," responded a defiant Suweys Ali Jama, who is currently preparing for December's Arab Games in Qatar. "I will never stop my profession while I am still alive."

Her words echoed those of fellow basketball players who received similar death threats when contesting a regional tournament in Kenya, with the team's male coach saying: "I am ready to die in Mogadishu for the reason that I have participated in this tournament."

And after the death of under-20 player Abdi Salaan Mohamed Ali earlier this year, the president of the Somali Football Federation reacted by saying: "we are committed to continuing our duty in the war-torn country until we meet death."

They are comments and attitudes which put England's clash with Spain into real perspective.

In case you don't know, Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday after a 0-0 draw at home to Sierra Leone.

But that tells a mere fraction of the story, for the real problem was that South African FA (Safa) officials were so unaware of the rules that they erroneously believed that a draw was good enough to take them through.

Late on, coach Pitso Mosimane even threw on a midfielder for a striker to shore up the points only to later ask: "Do you think I would have left (a striker) on the bench and put on a midfielder if I knew we needed a goal? It doesn't make sense."

South Africa's players - including captain Siphiwe Tshabalala (number 8) - celebrated qualifying for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations along with their fans and coaching staff

South Africa goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was even happy to waste time, feigning injury as the vuvuzelas grew louder, which is why the final whistle in Nelspruit was greeted with enormous celebrations.

The players did their traditional celebratory dance as well as a lap of honour, while Safa President Kirsten Nematandani even went on TV to congratulate the players on a job well done.

Then the news began to filter through - that unfancied Niger had actually qualified, courtesy of having a better head-to-head record against South Africa and Sierra Leone (with all three teams having finished on nine points).

If you were being overly generous, you could point out that it wasn't just Safa but the whole nation who had got it wrong - with broadcasting companies joining sports websites in joyously conveying the 'news' that South Africa had made their first finals since 2008.

But to be generous to Nematandani would surely be a step too far. Courteous and affable he may be but given that he is an actual member of the Confederation of African Football's Nations Cup organising committee, how safe can his job now be?

It also beggars belief that Safa is now protesting against the qualifying rules to Caf - which seems little more than a smokescreen to distract from his organisation's failings. It also smacks of the sourest of grapes to complain about the rules after you've suffered from them, rather than prior to a qualifying campaign if you really have such gripes.

To put the embarrassing matter into context, contrast South Africa's understanding of the rules to that of Libya's.

As we know, the North African nation has been ripped apart by fighting this year - so much so that at one point the football team seemed unable to fulfil its Group C campaign.

However, not only did the Libyans - playing with a new strip, flag and national anthem - finish their campaign, they also registered one of the most impressive qualifications and did so while fully understanding the rules.

The qualifying mathematics for a team finishing as one of the two best runners-up was a whole lot more complex than that needed to determine a group winner, but the Libyans were so aware of the permutations that they celebrated Saturday's draw in Zambia with tears in their eyes.

Their campaign provided perfect material for any Hollywood scriptwriter.

Football is a hugely-popular sport in Libya where the national team have managed to qualify for only the third finals in their history, and first since 2006, despite the fighting back home

They overcame the challenges of Ramadan affecting their opening game, their team doctor dying on the eve of their second qualifier and then the break-out of the anti-Gaddafi revolution, which prompted one player to abandon football for the frontlines.

"When I was in camp for our (fourth qualifier) - some people told me one of my dear friends was in hospital so I went to see him," explains Walid el Kahatroushi, 27. "When I saw the many injured Libyans, I decided to leave camp there and then and join the frontline."

El Kahatroushi explains that when he first went, none of his fellow fighters would allow him to hold a gun, sending him on relatively harmless errands, until he did finally decide to take matters - namely, a weapon - into his own hands. Nonetheless, they still eventually persuaded him to fight for his nation on the pitch.

Forced to play two of their three 'home' qualifiers in neutral Mali and Egypt, Libya qualified even though most of their players had played little football in recent times - with the Libyan league have stopped in March.

Then there was the coach. Brazil's Marco Paqueta has not been paid for six months but he funded trips himself to oversee various qualifiers - reluctant to abandon the players in their hour of need while wholly aware of football's new role in their lives.

"In their minds they are not only playing for football success but for a new government and a new country," he explained on the eve of the Zambia clash, for which El Kahatroushi had been recalled.

It is impossible to overstate the work Paqueta has done - having had to chop and change his squad, for reasons ranging from politics (when Gaddafi was still in control, he couldn't field any players from the rebel town of Benghazi) to logistics (as fighting around Tripoli raged, he was unable to field players from the capital as their routes out of the country were blocked).

While Libya's qualification was hugely significant for the manner in which it was achieved, Niger's was stunning for its sheer surprise - as the Mena won all their home games to defy all expectation and qualify from a group involving African champions Egypt, Sierra Leone and hapless South Africa.

They will be joined at the finals by fellow first-timers Botswana and Equatorial Guinea with the face of African football having undergone significant change for three continental heavyweights will be missing from the 2012 finals - after Nigeria and Cameroon joined Egypt in missing out.

In fact, when you realise that eight of the last nine Nations Cup-winning sides will be absent from Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, you realise the extent of the revolution that has seeped into the bones of the African game.

So the South Africans must be thanking their lucky stars that they have already qualified for the 2013 Nations Cup - courtesy of hosting the competition.

For last Tuesday, seven Zambians were found guilty of selling out their team Rovaniemi Palloseura - popularly known as RoPS - as gambling-related match-fixing plunged yet another league into abject despair.

"We will never take any Zambians again - and I don't think any other Finnish club will ever take a Zambian player (again)," RoPS chairman Risto Niva told the BBC.

For the dented image of Finland's game, with 24 games judged to have been fixed, means that sponsorship and advertising revenues have already dropped, angering the clubs as financial insult adds to the injury of realising the corrupt nature of their league.

Finnish football fans have seen their national league ruined by corruption, with nine players convicted this year for match-fixing some 30 games dating back to 2008

The Finnish championship - known as the Veikkausliiga given, irony of ironies, that it is sponsored by betting agency Veikkaus - unwittingly became a target of Asian gambling syndicates because of its timing.

Running from April/May to October - to avoid the harsh winter climate - the league neatly fills the gap between the off-seasons of Europe's major leagues.

Yet despite knowing all this, it still seems fairly remarkable that global match-fixing's unwanted tentacles can still reach as far as Rovaniemi - a city (pop: 60,000) in the distant north of Finland and capital of Lapland no less.

But into Father Christmas' lair came gamblers looking for gifts and when a club based fractionally south of the Arctic circle is targeted for corruption, it makes you wonder if anywhere is safe from one of world sport's most dangerous threats.

Fifa's head of security, Chris Eaton, even suggested this past week that footballers from poor countries are being 'trafficked' around the world in order to facilitate match-fixing.

"It is only anecdotal evidence at this stage but it is clear. They (the match-fixers) often target people from humble origins," says the Australian.

"They will go to junior competitions and recruit ... players. 'I can get you a contract, or a game in Europe or in South America.' They will invest in the development of players and officials and then they expect payment - they want their cut."

There are widespread concerns that Africans players are more susceptible than most given their lack of financial resources, as Benin's German coach Reinhard Fabisch stated when revealing that a Singapore-based company had - through an intermediary - approached him about fixing a match at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

In the case of RoPS' Zambians, all were recruited by a one-time hero of the club - Zeddy Saileti - a player who spent some 15 years with the club, finishing top scorer on numerous occasions, and who had a 1994 Nations Cup final appearance under his belt.

But somewhere along the line, Saileti turned bad and his influence on impressionable youngsters - who the Lapland District court said took bribes of US$15-57,000 - was one of the reasons given by the court for the seven's suspended sentences.

The only man to go down was an infamous Singaporean who goes by the name of Wilson Raj Perumal - when not travelling on a false passport that is (the act which prompted his arrest by Finnish border guards in February).

He was given two years in jail - the court ruling that he bagged US$210,000 from his fixing (and his syndicate some 1.5m Euros for every arranged match) - and although the Finnish system means he may be free by March, football officials everywhere should be breathing a relative sigh of relief.

Fifa has linked Perumal to a conspiracy to 'fix matches in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Central and South America' - but it's surely in Africa where his malign powers have been at their most brazen.

Not so much for allegedly taking a team masquerading as Togo's national side to play and lose in Bahrain, far more because of his role in Zimbabwe's 2009 tour of Asia - where the national team lost heavily to both Syria and Thailand.

Testimony from the internationals is that Perumal sat on the actual team bench, where he instructed players earning a year's salary in the blink of an eye when to concede goals.

On a recent visit to Harare, Sepp Blatter said that anyone found guilty of match-fixing would be banned for life but Fifa has been silent so far on the fate of the RoPS players (which also includes two Georgians) - and that of two other former Finland-based Zambians convicted earlier this year.

All are currently free to play - assuming any club will take such a toxic product - but is this the right message at a time when match-fixing is smothering ever more of the game?

Indeed, one Finnish FA official I've spoken to feels Perumal's arrest is just the tip of the iceberg - and such is the nature of the Singaporean's secret networks that another fixer will step in to his shoes, at the behest of the Mr Bigs watching on from the shadows.

But if this scourge of the game is going to be stopped, then surely Fifa needs to ban all those found guilty of match-fixing in Finland for life?

It's been quite a challenge selecting a best African XI for the 2010-2011 European season. It would have been much easier to play four or five up front (given the performances of some African strikers this year), but in a loose 4-3-1-2 formation here's my pick of the best for what's been an enthralling season.

Goalkeeper - Carlos Kameni (Espanyol/Cameroon):
The easiest choice of the lot. African keepers are in short supply in Europe's top leagues, with Richard Kingson - who had his ups and downs - only getting an extended run here in England after Blackpool's regular stopper was injured. Meanwhile, Kameni enjoyed a fine season with Espanyol, making a number of crucial saves which helped his team to their highest La Liga finish since his debut season with the club in 2004/2005.

Centre Back - Mehdi Benatia (Udinese/Morocco):
Benatia, 24, has been a revelation in his first season in Italy since joining from the French second division. Fast and physical, he has become a pillar of defence as Udinese secured only the second Champions League qualification. Italian football followers don't give out labels like the 'Moroccan Maldini' cheaply - and Benatia's season has been so good he's being linked with Maldini's old club Milan, Real Madrid and Liverpool among others.

Centre Back - Karim Haggui (Hannover 96/Tunisia):
A whisker away from relegation last year, Hannover have had a miraculous season - finishing fourth to earn a Europa League spot. While Ivory Coast forward Didier Ya Konan ensured their attack was on fire, a much-improved defence has been crucial to their successful season. The Tunisian performed so well Hannover extended his contract mid-season to keep him at the club until 2014.

Clockwise from top left: Carlos Kameni, Sammy Inkoom, Mehdi Benatia, Karim Haggui, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, 'Dede' Ayew, Yaya Toure, Seydou Keita, Gervinho, Papiss Demba Cisse and Samuel Eto'o.

Left Back - Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham Hotspur/Cameroon):
This may come as a surprise to some, especially given Taye Taiwo's season with Marseille - one which so impressed Milan that they snaffled up the Nigerian. But would Milan have been so interested in the Super Eagle had they not picked him up on a free transfer? Either way, I've never been wholly convinced by Taiwo's game - which is why I'm plumping for the corn-rowed Cameroonian. A model of consistency with excellent passing, Assou-Ekotto was ever present in the group stages and knock-outs as Spurs stunned Inter and Milan to reach the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals.

Midfield - Andre 'Dede' Ayew (Marseille/Ghana):
Off the back of an impressive World Cup, Abedi Pele's son settled straight into action with the defending French champions - his energetic, all-action style endearing him to both fans and coach Didier Deschamps. The 21-year-old also added goals to his game, netting a personal best of 11 in a season where he tasted Champions League football for the first time. After being loaned out to Lorient and Arles-Avignon, this was Ayew's coming of age at Marseille - and once again, his performances attracted the attention of Europe's top clubs. Never gave up as Marseille were pipped to the title by champions Lille.

Midfield - Yaya Toure (Manchester City/Ivory Coast):
Kolo's younger brother arrived at Man City for big money and, it emerged, with an enormous wage packet. For a while, fans were wondering what all the fuss was about but as the season progressed, the Ivorian became ever more influential. Seen by many as a holding midfielder before he arrived, Yaya has impressed with not just his tackling and positional sense but also his box-to-box runs, eye for a pass and hidden-away finishing skills. With a different role, he scored more goals in a season with City than he did throughout his Barca career - with the most important saved for the FA Cup. Not content with seeing off treble-chasing United in the semi, he fired home a sweet match-winner against Stoke in the final. Despite his salary, I can't imagine his employers are complaining.

Midfield - Seydou Keita (Barcelona/Mali):
He may not be an automatic starter but Keita is the man Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola regularly turns to whenever Xavi or Andres Iniesta are out of action or when he needs to shore up a game late on. Although 19 of his 33 league appearances came off the bench, the versatile Malian is still a sub for a club side many respected critics are calling the greatest in history - and so to fit in seamlessly is testament to his talents. Despite lacking wow factor, Keita is an utterly reliable performer at Barcelona. Respected within the dressing room, the man who scored the goal that secured Barca's title won a second Champions League winners' medal last Saturday. Why on earth isn't he in Mali's squad?

Midfield/Striker - Gervinho (Lille/Ivory Coast):
A man with arguably the worst hairstyle in football (which would be some feat admittedly), the creative Gervinho has been key to Lille's surprise championship - their first since 1954. Having struggled to impose his undoubted creativity in years gone by, the 23-year-old has become more consistent this year - netting 15 goals and making 9 others. Often accused of individuality in the past, the Ivorian has become a very important piece to the Lille puzzle, alongside Yohann Cabaye, Eden Hazard and Moussa Sow. With great feet and a terrific workrate, a player long tipped for the top has started to back up the claims.

Striker - Papiss Demba Cisse (Freiburg/Senegal):
Choosing between Lille's Sow, the top scorer in France with 25 goals, and his Senegalese compatriot Cisse was no easy task. For Sow's goals lifted Lille to an historic league and cup double. However, I've opted for Cisse with the reasoning that it's easier to score lots of goals in a championship-winning side than it is for one used to battling relegation. This season, Freiburg achieved only their third top-half finish in Bundesliga history - and they surely wouldn't have achieved that without Cisse's 22 goals. He scored over half his side's league tally, which is why he has inched his way past Sow into this XI.

Striker - Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan/Cameroon):
Doing it season upon season doesn't make Eto'o's goalscoring feats any less impressive. After being played out of position in his first season, he has been a more central figure this campaign - and responded by becoming the first African, by my reckoning, to ever score 20 league goals in an Italian season. How they helped in an Inter side shorn of last year's performances and consistency. Nonetheless, both Inter and Eto'o finished the season on a high, as his double helped win the Coppa Italia as the nerazzurri beat Palermo 3-1. A class apart, the Cameroonian is surely Africa's greatest ever footballer.

Subs: Moussa Sow (Lille/Senegal), Osaze Odemwingie (West Brom/Nigeria), Kevin-Prince Boateng (AC Milan/Ghana), Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese/Ghana), Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland/Ghana).

The Times, for example, credited the success with having "consolidated a new national identity" amongst the French.

But 12 years later, this celebration of France's multicultural ways was apparently no longer so welcome - as investigative website Mediapart discovered.

The claims that the French Football Federation's leading coaches proposed in November 2010 to secretly limit the intake of black and north African players to 30% at certain regional youth training centres, including the renowned Clairefontaine facility, were swiftly dismissed when they first emerged.

Four members of France's Fifa Under-17 World Cup-winning side from 2001 now represent African nations: Hassan Yebda/Algeria (wearing number 8), Jacques Faty/Senegal (no. 5), Mourad Meghni/Algeria (no. 10) and Emerse Fae (no. 12).

How could it be true when Zinedine Zidane (with Algerian heritage), Marcel Desailly (Ghanaian) and Patrick Vieira (Senegalese) - not to mention Lilian Thuram (Guadeloupe) and Christian Karembeu (New Caledonia) among others - were so central to Les Bleus' World Cup triumph?

But with a transcript of the conversation having appeared, and the head of the FFF's National Technical Board (DTN) admitting the words were true, a massive scandal and two separate investigations have begun in France - with the question of institutionalised racism at its core.

So what exactly changed in the intervening years?

The Fifa rules, very simply.

Coincidentally, it was Algeria, the country of Zidane's parents, which proposed that Fifa change its rules on international eligibility. Algeria successfully argued, back in 2003, that a footballer capped at junior level for one country should be able to later represent another nation.

Any change had to be made by the age of 21 but when Fifa then scrapped that rule in 2009, a wave of former French youth players washed into Africa.

Algeria led the way and when they contested their first World Cup in 24 years in South Africa, four of their starting XI were former French youth internationals - with another four on the bench. Among them were a former France Under-21 captain (Carl Medjani), a former U17 World Cup champion with France (Hassan Yebda), a Clairefontaine graduate who had represented France at all youth levels (Habib Bellaid) and one who had played for France at the U19 European Championships just a year earlier (Ryad Boudebouz).

Other African nations also followed suit, with Senegal prominent amongst them. A country that has been poor at developing its own youth players has - in the case of the excellent trio Issiar Dia (Fenerbahce), Jacques Faty (Sochaux) and Moussa Sow (Lille) - simply profited from the funds spent by Clairefontaine instead.

Sow is an excellent example of the debate at the heart of this row. Firstly, he is one of the prime reasons why Lille, whose last title came in the 1950s, lead the French championship with five games left - having struck 21 goals in 33 league games.

France's top league scorer Moussa Sow (second from right) came through the Clairefontaine academy before switching his national allegiance to Senegal

His career has gone into overdrive since joining Lille last June on a free transfer, having achieved relatively little with former club Rennes. Just a couple of years ago, he was a long way from the France team, despite having played at youth level for the land of his birth, so the then 23-year-old opted to play for Senegal in 2009 - making his debut three months after Fifa's decision to withdraw any age limit restriction.

Had Fifa not made that switch, would Sow be in the France squad today, especially since coach Laurent Blanc - at the eye of the storm for the comments he has made - has tried out a number of strikers since taking charge after the World Cup debacle?

A similar question can be asked of Desailly. Born in Ghana to Ghanaian parents, before being taken under a Frenchman's wing when his mother married again, Desailly only made his France debut a month shy of his 25th birthday - but had today's rules been in place, might he have been tempted by Ghana in the intervening period?

The problem for the French directors is how to ensure they retain the talent that they spend millions of euros developing in a way that isn't racially discriminatory - which any quota system clearly is.

As Thuram points out, any discrimination would be a further burden for a section of society who encounter challenges anyway.

"The people affected by this discrimination are children who already encounter difficulties in French society and often their dream is to be able to make it through success in sport, notably in football, so it is a double blow for them," France's record cap-holder told the BBC this week.

Earlier, he had argued that the issue of dual nationality is a false issue anyway, insisting "the best players will be taken on by France" - which they have been in abundance.

Zidane, Desailly and Vieira apart, Les Bleus have benefited from, among others in the past, Juste Fontaine (Moroccan father), Jean Tigana (Malian father), Claude Makelele (whose dad played for Zaire, now DR Congo) and, today, two players eligible for Algeria (Samir Nasri and Karim Benzema) and another pair who qualify for Senegal (Patrice Evra and Bacary Sagna).

So should the French top-brass simply accept that investment in young footballers is a gamble anyway - or can this multiracial country ensure that it retains its best talent? Or should they addres the issue by expanding the annual intake of pupils to try to ensure that more jewel are unearthed? Or can they - and I'm no lawyer - find some legal method whereby youngsters have to sign a contractual agreement?

Or is the easiest way simply to field a player in a competitive match and so bind him (under Fifa rules) to France - as happened to Lyon's Bafe Gomis prior to the 2008 European Championships, with irritation in Senegal, who were also chasing him, ever more vexed by his limited selections since.

For decades, anger with French footballing authorities was a widespread emotion across Africa. Many dual nationality players were denied international careers on the continent because they played at junior level for France.

The most famous example was probably Ivory Coast-born Roger Boli. Brother of France international Basile, Roger was denied a career with the Elephants because of less than 20 minutes he played for France juniors - a decision he has rued ever since.

This is why African sympathy is in short supply as French attempts to limit the schooling of dual nationality players have backfired so spectacularly. It's not so much the schadenfreude - it's more the satisfaction of 'payback'.

So many African players have previously been lost to France, yet important sections of the new talent parading for African teams now come gift-wrapped with a Clairefontaine bow: such as Mali's Garra Dembele (Levski Sofia), Burkina Faso's Habib Bamogo (Nice), Cameroon's Sebastian Bassong (Tottenham) and Morocco's Mehdi Benatia (Udinese).

So now, as France looks to avoid accusations of discrimination in future, their selection criteria may just have to bend the other way - meaning that Africa will further benefit.

The Senegalese is having what he calls an 'extraordinary season', which is why reports are constantly linking the Freiburg striker with a move to England, particularly Arsenal.

Plucked from FC Metz and the relative obscurity of the French second division in December 2009, Cisse has turned into one of the most feared strikers in the Bundesliga where the 25-year-old currently tops the scoring charts despite playing for unfashionable Freiburg.

Last Saturday, as the southern German side beat Hoffenheim 3-2, Cisse netted his 20th league strike of the season - so equalling Tony Yeboah's long-standing African record in Germany while also going a goal clear of Bayern Munich's Mario Gomez.

Cisse has become one of Europe's most sought-after players as his goals have prompted Freiburg, a club more used to battling relegation, to start dreaming of a place in Europe.

"I didn't know I had equalled Yeboah's record and was only told on the evening of the match," Cisse told me on the line from Freiburg earlier this week. "I was very happy but with five matches left, I still want to achieve more."

Namely - finish top scorer. And Cisse is well-placed to become the first African to ever do so by himself, since Yeboah had to share that honour with rival strikers in both 1993 and 1994 as the Eintracht Frankfurt striker's form caught the eye of Leeds United.

Should the Senegalese do so, he would follow in the footsteps of pioneers like Samuel Eto'o (first African top scorer in Spain: 2006) and Didier Drogba (ditto England: 2007) - two players who he is now being compared to.

Although his career path is more akin to Drogba - toiling in France's lower leagues before making his mark relatively late in his career - his style of play is more reminiscent of Eto'o, with Cisse an out-and-out striker who gobbles up most of his goals from close range.

More used to battling relegation than fighting for a European spot, Freiburg currently lie eighth and are set for the highest finish in ten years. Cisse has netted over half their tally of league goals (38) and his efforts haven't gone unnoticed.

"We're talking to a lot of big clubs in all countries - Germany, England, Spain, Italy - but we are totally relaxed because he just has to play out the season," says his agent Guido Nikolay. "After that, I think we'll find a solution which is very good for the club and for the player."

So where next - where would the player himself like to go?

"If I leave Germany, England wouldn't be bad but for the moment I don't know," he told me, adding that playing for a Champions League side is his desire. "I want to show people what I am capable of doing at that level."

Aiming for both England and the Champions League - could the reported interest from Arsenal thus have some serious legs?

This week, Freiburg confirmed that official transfer requests have already been made for Cisse, with the club having already turned down one major offer after Wolfsburg offered 12m Euros in January.

15m Euros seems to be a more realistic figure for what Freiburg will accept for a player under contract until 2014 and for whom they paid their record amount, albeit just 1.6m Euros, in late 2009.

This was a fortune for cash-strapped Freiburg - but they'll deserve their profit after transforming a player who was often used as a second striker while at Metz.

"The difference this year is that I have the confidence of my team-mates and coach, which means we can do a lot together," says the Senegalese. "I also give everything to make sure the team is in a good way because if my team-mates are on form, then the team will be too.

"That makes my job easier, so I've become someone who doesn't find scoring too goals too difficult."

Confidence aside, the more offensive style of German football also suits Cisse's game - which really took off at Freiburg following the departure of the man they previously looked to for goals, the wholly erratic Cameroonian Mohammadou Idrissou.

So assuming he does end up playing Champions League football, does Cisse have the game to succeed?

"For sure," says Rene Kuebler of Freiburg newspaper Badische Zeitung. "He's not only a goalscorer but he's also fast, good at build-up and a team player. He doesn't lose the ball very often either. He's made a big step forward and I think he can now play anywhere, because he's physically stronger than he was a year ago."

Cisse celebrates his penalty against Hoffenheim, the goal that equalled Tony Yeboah's long-standing African record in Germany and took him clear at the top of the Bundesliga scoring charts

Internationally, a player with a good shot, useful left foot and decent volley boasts eight goals from just seven games and if this all sounds too good to be true, so does his character.

"For me, he is the perfect African player in Europe," adds Kuebler. "He's always laughing and smiling, and has never made any problems since he's been at the club. He's quiet, kind and doesn't behave as if he's special. His only bad point is that he's probably leaving!"

He's also very humble. When I asked him to define his strengths, he simply replied - 'my team-mates' - but lurking beneath this respectful demeanour is a fierce competitor.

One weakness is his tendency to pick up too many yellow cards, which Cisse blames on his will-to-win - for this single-minded Senegalese has his sights set firmly on the top.

"After the Eto'o/Drogba generation ends, there'll be a new generation of top Africans in Europe - and I'm working hard to be one of them," he says. "I hope to be one of the best, and that would bring me great pleasure."

As it will to whoever manages to secure his signature in the summer.

Already confident, fans of last year's World Cup quarter-finalists will be even more so after the withdrawal of a high-quality chunk of England's first team - Terry, Cole, Lampard, Rooney and Dawson - and the pledge to field a different XI to the one that beat Wales.

Although England's lack of respect for the fixture has left a sour taste for some Ghanaians, it will make no difference to players who are treating this game as a cup final.

Their real concern is its timing, coming 48 hours after Ghana's 3-0 win in Congo as the Group I leaders stayed on course for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations - thanks to goals from strikers Prince Tagoe, Dominic Adiyiah and Sulley Muntari.

In the absence of Essien, at least one current Black Star, Sunderland's Sulley Muntari, knows what it's like to triumph at Wembley, having won the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008

But the reason the Ghanaian Football Association (GFA) accepted the fatigue-inducing schedule is the overwhelming delight and pride that the Black Stars have finally been handed an opportunity to play the country that taught them the game.

In fact, they've been waiting for this match for years - primarily because it pits Ghanaians against the country that colonised them although, more recently, it's also because the Premier League has become so enormously popular in the former Gold Coast.

And the West Africans aren't letting the occasion go to waste.

With strong links between the countries and a sizeable expat population in the UK, Ghana are bringing a record 20,000 fans to the 'new' Wembley, including the chairmen of all the country's league clubs.

Although poor in one sense, the timing of the match is perfect in another given that the Black Stars will step out at Wembley with considerable confidence given their exploits of recent years.

Until the mid-noughties, they were largely living on former glories - the last of four African titles having come way back in 1982 - but the arrival of coach Ratomir Dujkovic seven years ago changed that.

The Serb swiftly amended history, qualifying Ghana for their first World Cup where they then reached the second round at the first attempt.

Two years later, under another Serb, Milovan Rajevac, the Ghanaians reached their first Nations Cup final in 28 years despite missing injured Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah, John Mensah, John Paintsil and Muntari (the latter dropped for indiscipline).

Five months later, the Black Stars came closer than any African side to the World Cup semi-finals, denied by an infamous handball and a wayward penalty that broke the continent's heart.

As with the Senegalese in 2002, the World Cup made Ghanaian footballers highly-prized - with top scorer Asamoah Gyan moving to Sunderland, Kevin-Prince Boateng joining AC Milan, Dede Ayew joining Marseille and, among other moves, Anthony Annan leaving Norway for Schalke.

And though much of the World Cup side is intact, there are some changes.

In defence, Paintsil, Sunderland's John Mensah and the indispensable Isaac Vorsah (of Hoffenheim) have a new man at left back, with Portugal-based David Addy having replaced Hans Adu Sarpei.

The competition for midfield places is intense as the highly-rated Ayew, Muntari and playmaker Kojo Asamoah (pulling the strings for fourth-placed Udinese in Serie A) fight for a spot alongside the diminutive Annan, Agyemang Badu (also of Udinese) and Boateng, who misses Tuesday's game with injury.

Up front, Gyan - suspended for the Congo game but who still joined up with the squad (having, admirably, flown at his own expense) - will return to partner in-form Tagoe, whose Partizan Belgrade comrade Adiyiah is likely to start on the bench.

There is of course one big name wholly conspicuous by its absence - Essien.

After suffering two significant injuries while on Ghana duty (with a knee injury picked up at the 2010 Nations Cup ruling him out of the World Cup), the Chelsea star is on a self-imposed break from international football.

This is to get his club career back on track and although he's not quite the force he once was, his value is still enormous - with the Blues having failed to win a Premier League match without him this season.

Contrary to what you may think, Essien is not hugely popular in his homeland where many fans believe he sees playing for the national team as coming second to his club but Stefanovic is certain he'll back for next year's Nations Cup.

"To win the Nations Cup, I need players who know what winning is like - like Essien and [Champions League winner] Muntari," he says. "In the next one to two years, Ghana will be one of best teams in the world."

At youth level, they already are - becoming, in 2009, the first Africans to win the under-20 World Cup, spanking none other than England 4-0 in the group stages.

Though even the most optimistic Ghanaians aren't expecting that scoreline, many are awaiting the same result.

And although much attention will be cast towards the Chadian capital N'Djamena where a Botswana win would make the Zebras the first team to reach next January's finals, eyes will also be firmly focussed on Johannesburg, Annaba and Dakar.

In Senegal already, the inside of Cameroon coach Javier Clemente's head must be a fairly frazzled place at the moment - for the Spaniard has two fundamental issues to contend with as he prepares for Saturday evening's massive Nations Cup tie.

One prompts recollections of the 1990 World Cup, when a presidential decree from Paul Biya forced Roger Milla's inclusion in the squad - and we all know what happened next.

Amara Traore (centre), who was an unused substitute during Senegal's memorable 2002 World Cup display, has returned the good times thanks to a host of outstanding strikers

So now Clemente has two players in his squad that he wasn't originally keen on - yet there's still no place for Arsenal's Alex Song though, so the post-World Cup rumbles go on.

However, his other problem is surely even greater - how on earth he's going to deal with Senegal's awesome foursome.

For Teranga Lions coach Amara Traore has an embarrassment of riches up front in Papiss Demba Cisse (Freiburg), Moussa Sow (Lille), Mamadou Niang (Fenerbahce) and Demba Ba (West Ham).

Cisse has led or been near the top of the Bundesliga scoring charts all season, Sow does lead in France, Niang is second top striker in Turkey - while Ba has plundered four goals in five league games for the Hammers.

Between them, they've scored over 60 goals this season - so perhaps it's no surprise that Senegal are the top scorers in Africa so far, with 11 goals from just two matches.

An opening win in DR Congo was followed by a 7-goal drubbing of Mauritius to leave the 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists top of Group E, two clear of Samuel Eto'o's Indomitable Lions.

Victory at home on Saturday and the Senegalese - revitalised since Traore took charge - could establish a five-point lead with just three qualifiers left.

A similar scenario will be playing out in Johannesburg where South Africa can take a six-point lead over none other than the African champions if they beat Egypt on Saturday.

This is the big one for Bafana Bafana, who failed to qualify for the 2010 Nations Cup but who have been on an upward curve since coach Carlos Alberto Parreira steadied the ship when taking charge shortly before the World Cup.

Yet anything other than victory is likely to prove problematic for Pitso Mosimane's side, as a draw at Ellis Park would leave the Pharaohs, bottom in Group G, with the chance to draw level with the 2010 World Cup hosts when playing Bafana Bafana in Cairo in June.

As has been widely reported, the Egyptians are short of competitive action, with the league suspended because of the revolution, while a mooted training camp in Oman was cancelled.

Elsewhere, Algeria's home clash with North African rivals Morocco in Annaba should be tasty - with the Desert Foxes needing a spark to revive their fortunes, while the Atlas Lions should be a different beast under Eric Gerets.

Senegal are spoilt for choice, with Demba Ba one of four strikers in the goals this season

CAR are one of a number of surprise table-toppers, along with the likes of Cape Verde, Mozambique and Guinea, although Botswana stand out in Group K.

Having never come close to qualifying for the Nations Cup, the Zebras are a whopping six points clear - and stand on the verge of a historic qualification on Saturday.

It would be a remarkable feat for a country whose leading scorer Jerome Ramatlhakwane, with four goals, cannot even get a regular game with South African PSL side Vasco da Gama.

"This would be a big achievement for all of us and all followers of our team. We are not putting ourselves under any pressure - but the level of expectation back home is very high," admits coach Stanley Tshosane.

The Zebras' qualification would add some glorious technicolour to this qualifying round - and while these are the games I'll be following closely, let me know the match-ups which are grabbing you.

With the retirements of uncle Salif (the first African Footballer of the Year in 1970) and Frederic Kanoute (who's still playing club football for Seville), Momo Sissoko crocked until the end of the season, that just leaves Mahamadou Diarra and Keita still eligible to play for the Eagles.

Diarra, a defensive midfielder who once netted a crucial goal to help Real Madrid win the Spanish league but who was loaned to Monaco in January, is still in the thick of things and captains the side.

Despite occasionally representing a side many pundits are claiming to be the best ever, Barcelona's Keita, 31, failed to make coach Alain Giresse's squad this week.

Barcelona's Seydou Keita has failed in his bid to return to Mali's national team

Keita hasn't turned out for the Eagles since last year's disappointing Nations Cup for the simple reason that he wanted to take a self-imposed break from international football.

But, and it's a big but, earlier this month he did declare his desire to return to the side as they try to reach the 2012 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Nonetheless, Giresse overlooked him from his squad yesterday - on the grounds that Keita's return would disturb the harmony of the group.

While understandable that the Frenchman - who knows a thing or two about midfield play given his unforgettable place in France's revered 1984 side (alongside Platini, Mali-born Tigana and Fernandez) - is keen to show loyalty to those who have been playing, it beggars belief that he's excluding Keita.

Especially given his skills, composure and the influence he can have on the side, as anyone who witnessed the incredible comeback he sparked in the amazing 4-4 draw with 2010 hosts Angola (scoring twice after Mali trailed 4-0 after 78 mins) will attest.

It seems as though Giresse is punishing Keita for his exile, even though far more complicated Africans have been welcomed back into their national sides after far worse (see Messrs El Hadji Diouf, Mido, etc.).

In fact, the norm is for managers to try to tempt big names out of retirement - as repeatedly happened with Kalusha Bwalya in Zambia and to give a European perspective, with Paul Scholes in England - and though Giresse says he'll talk to Keita about his return after the match, why not now?

If he's going to be welcomed back one day, why wait?

To the best of my knowledge, Keita is not a trouble-maker and in all the time he was absent missed only two competitive matches - a surprise loss in Cape Verde before the home win over Liberia.

It's hardly as though he's left them in the lurch but Giresse has clearly decided he can live without a player who won the Golden Ball at the 1999 U20 World Cup (above Ronaldinho, Xavi and Diego Forlan) for the clash with Zimbabwe, and who is good enough to cover for the same Xavi and Iniesta when required by Barca coach Pep Guardiola.

Surely a man with that sort of pedigree (not to mention the fact that his uncle Salif can also boast Juve's Sissoko as a nephew) should walk back into a side ranked 85th in the world - whatever the sensitivities of group dynamics.

Yes, those who filled in in the absence of a man with a Champions League medal (among other trophies) in his pocket may feel aggrieved by any swift return but they can surely also recognise superior footballing ability when they see it.

The incident reminds me of Mamadou Niang's attempts to return to the Senegalese national team after previously quitting in despair over the chronic administration of the game in the land of the 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists.

With the team in trouble under coach Lamin N'Diaye and needing to beat The Gambia to qualify, Niang buried his various hatchets and said he was prepared to come back.

But despite the fact that the then Marseille man was then the hottest Senegalese striker around, with 21 goals in 38 league games, N'Diaye chose to keep faith with the players who had performed in qualifiers when they could have been on inter-season holidays.

Laudable in theory but in practice, a team of ageing has-beens, best exemplified by a poor Henri Camara, failed to see off their minnow neighbours, so crashing out of 2010 World Cup qualifying at the earliest stage and sparking extensive rioting in Dakar.

Next week's clash between Mali and Zimbabwe, with the Eagles lying second in Group A, has nowhere near as much significance but Giresse is still taking an unnecessary gamble.

For even though football has become understandably trivial to millions of fans and players, the revolution's timing couldn't really be worse for a country that has traditionally dominated the African game.

Next month the team, which has won the last three Africa Cup of Nations (and a record seven overall), travel to South Africa for a game where defeat would leave last year's World Cup hosts six points clear in Group G with only three qualifiers left and the North Africans with a mountain to climb.

The national team's African triumphs were a rare source of pride, joy and entertainment for many Egyptians under Mubarak's regime, but the Pharaohs' reign is facing a stiff test.

"If we lose in South Africa, we'll be out of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations," says Egyptian FA (EFA) official Amr Abu Elez. "The bare minimum we need is a draw."

Amongst myriad problems for national coach Hassan Shehata is the fact that his Pharaohs side started their qualifying group more sluggishly than a well-fed sloth, with a home draw against Sierra Leone, which was then topped by a 1-0 defeat away to ever-improving Niger.

But the revolution has thrown up other challenges, with the protests causing the league's suspension in late January - a real problem for Shehata when 90% of his squad are based at home (Sunderland's Ahmed Elmohamady is one of a handful who play outside).

The cancellation of the 9 February friendly against the United States compounded matters although better news came when many teams started training again this week, with Cairo giants Al Ahly holding a minute's silence for the protestors who died.

Yet any league action before early March is unlikely since there's no saying when the EFA will receive permission from the security forces to restart.

To minimise the impact, the EFA is planning to send the Pharaohs to Oman to ramp up their preparations and they could probably do with some time out of Egypt - not just to regain focus, but also because Shehata and his players were often widely criticised within Tahrir Square.

Many had wanted to see their heroes join the nation in taking a stance against Mubarak's hated regime but instead, they were largely conspicuous by their silence and absence (with only one former international known to have joined the protests).

Shehata even earned himself a place on an 'Enemy of the Revolution' blacklist - along with Mido, Amr Zaki and Hossam Hassan - after he rallied in support of Mubarak.

But it wasn't wholly surprising that Shehata was backing the regime, for his squad often benefited from close connections with it, and the coach himself was seen by many fans as untouchable given his strong relationship with Mubarak, and his sons Gamal and Alaa.

In truth, the coach was merely reciprocating the loyalty previously shown by the Mubaraks, who often propped up the Pharaohs whenever they faltered under Shehata.

In fact, the national team's success was such that they were pampered by Mubarak's regime and that proximity, which had captain Ahmed Hassan considering a post-football career in politics, has now backfired (he's also now on the blacklist) - meaning defeat in Johannesburg could bring about the end of an era.

While the short-term goal is crystal clear, Egyptian football's long-term future is anything but - as the potential ushering in of democracy will bring a number of changes.

Hassan Shehata needs a good result in South Africa to keep a growing army of critics off his back

Many hope that financial transparency might finally arrive, meaning that reduced corruption will mean more money finding its rightful place - namely investment into a football club itself rather than certain individual's pockets.

Then there's the possible levelling out of the national league, with questions over how those clubs financially backed by the border guards (Al-Jaish), the army (Harras Al Hadoud) and the police (Ittihad Al-Shorta) etc. will fare in a new era - with the public set to be less tolerant of seeing their taxes used to support them.

And although some hope that the sponsorship deals heavily skewed towards giants Ahly and Zamalek may be spread around in a freer market economy, one Ahly board member believes democracy will only make Africa's most successful club stronger still.

"We have a fan base of over 60 million, out of 80 million Egyptians, so Ahly has a great opportunity to get increased revenues out of this democracy, which I believe will bring a lot of foreign investment to Egypt," says Khaled Mortagey.

The revolution has already delivered one unexpected change (however brief) to Egyptian football, with fans of bitter rivals Ahly and Zamalek co-existing side-by-side during their protests - their traditional hatred wiped out as they united against a common enemy.

Over the years, the enmity has seen, inter alia, fans committing murder and a riot so violent that the EFA decided to cancel the league altogether that year.

"I'm positive that if you held an Ahly-Zamalek game right now, the two sets of fans could - for the very first time - sit together without a single incident of violence," says United Nations employee Ahmed Ragab, 42, an Ahly fan who was in Tahrir Square for the protests.