The Italian also expressed his ambition to see his team defy expectations, beginning with Sunday’s tournament opener against hosts Morocco at Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.
“Morocco are an exceptional team — the best in Africa and one of the strongest in the world,” Cusin told CAF website.
“They are ranked ahead of Italy in the FIFA standings, reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, boast of players from top clubs and are on an 18-match winning run.
“On paper, it is like climbing Everest. But football has its magic: anything can happen. The key is to be ready on the day. The pressure is mainly on Morocco, who are expected to win.
“For us, the aim is simply to deliver a strong performance — and if a pleasant surprise comes with the result, all the better.”
He continued: “We do not want to place limits on ourselves. Saying that our objective is simply to get through the group stage could create a sense of complacency.
“We will take the tournament one match at a time, with the ambition of going as far as possible.
“We have a young and promising team. Whatever the outcome, we will accept it, because everything is in God’s hands. We are approaching this Africa Cup of Nations with enthusiasm and with the determination to be the surprise team of the tournament.”