Cameroon's journey to Monday's quarter-final with Tunisia has been guided by Rigobert Song, the veteran captain who is participating at a record-equalling seventh African Nations Cup.

The Galatasaray centre back was a member of the Cameroon side that lifted the title in 2000 and 2002 and so acts as a vital bridge connecting the younger and older members of Otto Pfister's squad.

The 31-year-old defender takes his role as mentor seriously.
"My role is to be the big father to all the players in the squad," he said in an interview with mtn.football.com.
"When young myself, I learnt quickly from senior players at the time like Roger Milla. They told me how to succeed in soccer."
Looking at the make-up of the Cameroon squad of 2008 he reflected: "We've a team that can play great football and which has a nice mixture of older players, like Samuel Eto'o, Geremi and myself, and young talents, like my cousin Alexandre Song.
"Our fathers are brothers. Alex is my friend, even though we don't room together at present.
"I always want to talk about Alex, as I'm so proud about him. He doesn't play regularly at Arsenal and that's why I'm so happy about his form for the Cameroonian team in Ghana. Alex has been showing a lot of quality."
The father of three says his record-equalling appearance in the finals is a feat that he never thought he'd achieve when he was starting out.
"I only know because people have been telling me about these records. In the beginning of my career, I never thought that I would equalise or break records like these. It's God's gift; to stay healthy and never having suffered from serious injury."
Tackled on how much international mileage he's got left in his legs he said: "I'll play on until the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the first Wold Cup to be held on African soil. Cameroon has to be there. After that I can retire.
"I enjoy what I do. Soccer is my life. I breathe football, I eat football... I'm now 31. If I see how Paolo Maldini still continues playing at the age of 39, I still have a long way to go."
Considering his stage in life it's not surprising he nominates Cameroon football legend Roger Milla as his hero.
"To be able to still play at the age of 42, as he did, is fantastic."

Assessing Cameroon's chances of lifting the trophy on February 10 Song, who has passed the century mark of appearances for his country, said: "This is one tournament which is very difficult, because so many teams have a chance to win."
"We will still have a lot of surprises to come in this tournament. However, Cameroon won't be one of them, as we don't want to go out early. "
"We will do everything to reach the final."