Nickname: The Djurtu
s (African Wild Dog)
Nations Cup High Point: No previous appearances
How they qualified:
Booked their debut at the finals by topping a group they were expected
to prop up thanks to back-to-back wins against Kenya and a victory over
2012 African champions Zambia.Team Guide: Guinea-Bissau is one of the world's poorest countries, ranked in the bottom 10 in the United Nation's human development index.
They are the 39th country to participate in the finals since the first tournament in 1957.
Before this campaign, Guinea-Bissau had played a mere 32 competitive internationals, in either Nations Cup or World Cup, winning onlyfour matches.
Their squad is a motley collection of expatriates (players of Guinea-Bissau heritage born in Europe) who play mostly for lower league clubs in Portugal.
Their presence is Gabon is one of the most remarkable stories in African football history.
The Coach: After coaching the team between 2003 and 2010, Baciro Cande is back for his second spell. He returned to his old job when Portuguese coach Paulo Torres was banned for four games by the Confederation of African Football for abusing a referee.
Key Player: Cicero, who plays his club football for Pacos de Ferreira in the Portuguese top flight, is a technically gifted and physically imposing player. He has scored six goals in 14 internationals and is expected to lead the line for the newcomers.
How far can Guinea-Bissau go? Qualifying from a group in which they were expected to finish last was a phenomenal feat. But while you wish underdogs all the luck in the world, one gets the feeling that only a miracle will see them finish anywhere other than fourth in this group.
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