2023 AFCON Highest Goalscorers Banned For Illegally Playing For Equatorial Guinea

The world football governing body, FIFA, has declared Emilio Nsue ineligible to represent Equatorial Guinea after playing for the country for eleven years.

Emilio Nsue became a prominent figure in African football during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations which took place in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, 2024.

He pushed the country beyond the group stage and finished the tournament as the highest goalscorer, winning the 2023 AFCON Golden Boot.

Immediately after Emilio Nsue received his golden boot, the Equatorial Guinean FA announced that the player had been banned indefinitely for “misconduct” during the tournament.

In response to the ban, Emilio Nsue accused the FA of embezzling the team’s prize money and also not treating the team professionally.

Afterwards, the 34-year-old striker who has scored a national record 22 goals for Equatorial Guinea announced his retirement from international football on Tuesday, February 20.

Amid that, Nsue was undergoing investigation by FIFA over his eligibility to play for Equatorial Guinea and the football body found him not qualified.

Therefore, the 34-year-old Spanish-born footballer have been banned from international football for six months.

Also, Equatorial Guinea’s 1-0 victories over Namibia and Liberia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification games in November 2023 have been cancelled due to Emilio Nsue’s ineligibility to feature for the country.

A FIFA statement explained that Nsue “apparently only acquired the Equatoguinean nationality (March 2013) after having played in his first international match in an official competition” with Spain.

Note that before Nsue switched his allegiance to Equatorial Guinea, he played for Spain youth teams for six years (from under-16 to under-21).