Morlaye Sylla swapping shirts with Brazilian star Vinicius Jr after a friendly last summer
Photo: Morlaye Sylla swapping shirts with Brazilian star Vinicius Jr after a friendly last summer. Credit: Daily Mail

AFCON 2023: Sylla axed from Guinea squad after accusing manager of stealing Vinicius Jr shirt

Guinea’s Africa Cup of Nations hopes have been thrown into disarray by a bizarre shirt-swapping saga, with star midfielder Morlaye Sylla sensationally axed from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations squad after accusing manager Kaba Diawara of stealing his prized Vinicius Jr jersey.

Guinea, set to face powerhouses Cameroon, Gambia, and defending champions Senegal in the tournament, will be without their midfield maestro due to this off-field drama. Following their 4-1 loss to Brazil in June, Sylla, in a moment of excitement, swapped shirts with Vinicius Jr. However, the joy of the exchange turned sour when the shirt mysteriously vanished from the dressing room.

According to Daily Mail, Sylla, convinced of foul play, reportedly started accusing teammates and then, shockingly, the manager, Kaba Diawara, of theft. This escalated into a heated confrontation, with Sylla demanding a thorough search of the dressing room, further straining the atmosphere.

Despite his undeniable talent and potential impact on the field, Sylla’s refusal to apologize and his accusatory behavior have proven costly. He will miss the prestigious tournament, paying a heavy price for this unfortunate incident.

The news comes as a blow to Guinea, who will now have to rely on other players to fill the void left by Sylla’s absence. However, they can find solace in the return of captain Naby Keita. The former Liverpool midfielder, who joined Werder Bremen last summer, has overcome recent injury struggles and will be a key figure in the team’s midfield alongside Amadou Diawara and Mohamed Camara.

While Keita’s experience and leadership are welcome boosts, Sylla’s absence casts a long shadow over Guinea’s AFCON campaign. The drama surrounding the missing shirt has undoubtedly affected team morale and raises questions about internal dynamics. Whether Guinea can overcome this off-field distraction and focus on achieving success on the pitch remains to be seen.

 

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