FT's AFCON 2019 Ultimate XI

Many were called but eleven were chosen

Algeria are the champions of Africa. An underdog whom a few gave a chance but convinced all that they are worthy winners of the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations when all was said and done. By virtue of their triumph, it becomes even easier to explain why four of our chosen best eleven players from the 2019 AFCON tournament are a part of the Desert Foxes. These eleven are what would form team Africa to challenge any other continent or galaxy, chosen solely based on their performances in Egypt.

So without further ado, let’s reveal who they are, knitted in a basic 4-2-3-1 formation.

“Who else to partner Gueye in our midfield than the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Best Player of the tournament. The 21-year-old box to box defensive midfielder otherwise known as a number 8 was a real nuisance to all the opposing players he came up against. The former Arsenal man looked obsessive, vicious and like he doesn’t tire in Algeria’s midfield set-up.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Aissa Mandi of Algeria celebrates after defeating South Korea 4-2 during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group H match between South Korea and Algeria at Estadio Beira-Rio on June 22, 2014 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

(June 21, 2014 - Source: Vinicius Costa/Getty Images South America)

Mouez Hassen, Tunisia – Goalkeeper

The Tunisia goalkeeper’s main spotlight moment was probably not what he would have chosen. The 24-year-old OGC Nice shot-stopper almost recreated the Kepa-Maurizio Sari Chelsea scene when he was tactically substituted by Alain Giresse in the closing extra time minutes of their round of 16 clash against Ghana. Tunisia had played out to a thoroughly entertaining 1-1 draw and the more experienced Ben Mustapha was called upon to save penalties, which Mouez didn’t take so well, hesitating and eventually gesturing his frustrations as he left the pitch. The latter did actually save the day and the young goalkeeper later apologized to the Tunisians on twitter.

It goes without saying that the Carthage Eagles weren’t at their best despite reaching the last four of the 2019 AFCON. Mouez however was. He kept a total of 2 clean sheets in his 6 appearances, most remarkably pulling off some of the top breath-taking reflex saves in the tournament, to deny Madagascar a furtherance of their dream in the quarters and keeping Senegal at bay in the semi-finals. Just a small judgement mistake in extra-time ensured Tunisia’s Bronn scored an own goal that denied the 2004 champions a finals appearance.

If we are looking for the next exceptional shot stoppers on the continent, after the generation of the likes of Egypt’s El Hadary, surely North Africa has another one in Hassen.

Youcef Belaili, Algeria – Leftback

He is not a left-back and neither did he star as one in Algeria’s road to their second ever AFCON title, but his versatility and style of play allowed us to pick him as one for this list. Deployed mainly on the left-wing or midfield positions for the Desert Foxes, ahead of FC Porto’s Yacine Brahimi, Belaili emerged as one of the lesser known stars of the Egypt 2019 tournament. The 27-year-old Esperance Sportive de Tunis man was arguably Algeria’s best player of the tournament without being a subject of exceptionally spectacular moments. He slammed home the solitary goal in Algeria’s 1-0 win over Senegal in the group stages and was ever so consistent throughout the campaign, linking up well with Feghouli and doing the most basic things of passing, tackling and marking to absolute perfection.

Aissa Mandi, Algeria – Centre back

The champions conceded the least number of goals in the tournament, just once from open play in 7 matches and they majorly have Mandi and his partner Djamel Benlamri to thank for this. The 27-year-old Real Betis defender looked as sure as anyone can be in that Algerian back-line. Beating Senegal twice in the group stages and for the championship in the final, they calmly thwarted all of Mane’s threat, Ighalo and the highly rated Chukwueze in the semi-finals and many more that came calling. Comfortable on the ball, meticulous in tackling, winning in the air and bold in interceptions; the cool, calm and collected centre back was the best of them. He arguably bettered the performances of one of the world’s best defenders and his partner in this FirstTouch Africa XI setup whom we feature next.

Robert Lewandowski of Poland is challenged by Kalidou Koulibaly of Senegal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group H match between Poland and Senegal at Spartak Stadium on June 19, 2018 in Moscow, Russia.

(June 18, 2018 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Europe)

Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegal – Centre back

Honestly, I might be getting tired writing about this man. The 28-year-old Napoli defender keeps making the news and the 2019 AFCON was no different, helping the Teranga Lions reach their second ever final berth and putting them in contention for a first ever Africa Cup of Nations title in their history. Working together with captain Cheikou Kouyate who was deployed as makeshift centre-back in replacing the injured Salif Sane, Kalidou erased all of the Crystal Palace midfielder’s mistakes, posing a stable physical presence when Aliou Cisse’s boys came up against Uganda and Benin in the knock-out stages. In total, Senegal kept 5 clean-sheets in all the 6 times they had Koulibaly guarding their goal. He missed out the final against Algeria for accumulation of yellow cards, with his teammates coming out to voice they were going to play for him, seeing just how central he had been to their 2019 AFCON conquest. Kalidou is effectively not just among the best in Africa, but the entire world.

Achraf Hakimi, Morocco– Right back

It takes someone special with some guts to fish out someone who didn’t even reach the last 8 as one of the tournament’s best players. You can crucify me later, but I am not going to go back on this one. The Real Madrid player personifies fearlessness. At just 20-years of age, his reputation for running up and down the flank, tearing apart other defenders, going at goal or laying up assists on a silver platter is unparalleled. No wonder he was named the 2018 Africa’s Best Young Player at the CAF Awards. After starring in the group stages, the right-back was also a victim of Morocco’s early and surprising exit from the tournament at the hands of Benin on penalty shootouts in the round of 16. The Atlas Lions had achieved maximum points in the group stages and finished without conceding a single goal from open play.

Idrissa Gueye, Senegal – Left defensive midfielder

If you are a follower of the English Premier League and this blog, you’ll know that Idrissa Gana Gueye has consistently been the best defensive midfielder and tackler in the past three seasons. The 29-year-old PSG bound midfielder effectively came to the party for Senegal in their 3rd group stage match against Kenya, after missing out on the match-day two loss against Algeria. The diminutive midfielder was the spine of Teranga Lions’ midfield and perhaps for the first ever, we saw him appearing in a more advanced midfield role. He edged his name in Senegal’s history books by scoring the only goal that gave Aliou Cisse’s men passage into the semi-finals after seeing off a stubborn Benin. His proposed move to the French Ligue 1 champions couldn’t have come at a better time and the Everton man could be a key ingredient in ending PSG’s UEFA Champions League curse.

Achraf Hakimi of Morocco runs with the ball during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group B match between Morocco and Iran at Saint Petersburg Stadium on June 15, 2018 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

(June 14, 2018 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)

Ismael Bennacer, Algeria – Right defensive midfielder

Who else to partner Gueye in our midfield than the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Best Player of the tournament. The 21-year-old box to box defensive midfielder otherwise known as a number 8 was a real nuisance to all the opposing players he came up against. The former Arsenal man looked obsessive, vicious and like he doesn’t tire in Algeria’s midfield set-up. The Empoli midfielder who is reportedly set to join Italian Serie A giants, AC Milan boasted a passing accuracy of more than 87% and racked up more than two assists even though stats do not tell the complete story when it comes to him. He is definitely one of the most exciting young African players to look out for in the near future.

Alexander Iwobi, Nigeria – Central attacking midfielder

The Super Eagles weren’t the most impressive or convincing unit throughout the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and one of the players to thank for their 3rd place finish should be the Arsenal forward. Coming through the North London club’s academy, the 23-year-old forward’s potential has always been there for all to see, even earmarked to be as good as or even better the displays of the Nigerian legend and his uncle, Austin Jay Jay Okocha. After playing mostly as a central striker in his academy days, an attacking midfielder for Arsene Wenger and left-wing under Arsenal’s current head coach, Unai Emery; Iwobi’s search for his best position has always rendered him less effective than imaginable. However, in the Super Eagles’ charge to the semi-finals, Gernot Rohr deployed him as a number 10 and did a lot of heavy lifting in knitting the Nigerian team together. Even his criticized end-product was improved immensely, holding onto the ball to free wingers and wing-backs, linking up defense and attack. He scored that all important winner against the 2017 champions Cameroon in the round-of-16 and assisted a few others as well. After all, Emery could perhaps get the best out of Iwobi in that attacking midfielder position but given how he has options in Ozil, Mkhitaryan and now Ceballos; we ask if Arsenal is where Iwobi would craft a legendary career for himself.

Sadio Mane, Senegal – Left winger

When we talk of big name players who stepped up and showed their worthy, Sadio tops that list. The Liverpool forward surely took to the pitch and backed up his assertion that he would exchange his 2019 Champions League win for a maiden AFCON title with Senegal. After missing out on their 2-0 win over Tanzania, Mane came through very hungry in their 1-0 match-day two loss to Algeria. Always looking dangerous whenever in possession of the ball and keeping us all at the edge our seats, the 2018/19 Premier League golden boot winner was responsible for most of the tournament’s tasty dribbles. Fresh to the mind was how he wriggled and danced past two Benin defenders in a flash that set-up Gueye for Senegal’s quarter-final winner against the Squirrels. Even though he missed two penalties won from open play, Mane still managed to score 3 goals in 6 matches, just 2 shy of the golden boot winner, Odion Ighalo. One of Algeria’s highly successful strategies to win the 2019 AFCON gold involved throwing three or more players at Mane whenever he got the ball. Even then, he still proved difficult to contain.

Alexander Iwobi of Nigeria in action during the International Friendly match between Nigeria and Serbia at The Hive on March 27, 2018 in Barnet, England.

(March 26, 2018 - Source: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Europe)

If Senegal had won the 2019 AFCON, surely, the 27-year-old would have been one of the favorites to win the 2019 FIFA Best Male Player Award and the Ballon d’Or. Now, we will have to wait and see.

Riyad Mahrez, Algeria – Right wing

The Manchester winger didn’t have the best of displays according to his standards, but how can you fault a big name player who comes through and captains his nation to a coveted Africa Cup of Nations title. The 2019 Premier League winner was targeted throughout the better part of the campaign and thus became a bit quiet on more than one occasions. However, when called upon to step up and carry the team, he did just that. Just like Mane, the Algerian play-maker scored a total of 3 goals, including the headlining injury time free-kick against Nigeria that proved the difference as the North Africans booked a finals appearance. He had just exhibited the hallmark of his role for Algeria, a few moments before that free-kick, carrying the ball from the right-wing, skipping past markers in a silky manner and denied by the finest of margins.

Overall, it was a real captain’s display by the 28-year-old for the champions.

Odion Ighalo, Nigeria – Centre forward

Who else to lead the line but the top goal scorer of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament. The 29-year-old Chinese Super League based forward bagged a total of 5 goals as Nigeria registered a 3rd place finish. After topping the scoring charts during the qualifiers with 6 goals to his name, the former Watford man proved that he surely is the best in the business. All of headed, penalty and poacher goals, he scored – resembling the traits of a complete marksman. Now that he has hung up his international boots “to give room for other young players” to shine, the Super Eagles have a responsibility to find his successor. Factually, Ighalo’s Super Eagles career wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, even as he was criticized for poor showings at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. However, one thing is for sure, he finished well.

Mouez, Mandi, Koulibaly, Hakimi, Belaili, Bennacer, Gueye, Iwobi, Mane, Mahrez and Ighalo have been our best eleven from the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations. Who would you have in yours?

Winners and Losers from AFCON 19

The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations came to an end on Friday the 19th of July with Algeria defeating Senegal 1-0 to claim their first title since 1990 where they won it on home soil. As in any other tournament, there were different teams that were backed to win the tournament. Others were earmarked as potential surprise packages while others were unknown. All teams falling in these different categories slowly revealed themselves as the tourney progressed. The AFCON competition was characterized by all sorts of memorable events. From Nigeria's epic 3-2 win over 2017 winners Cameroon; to South Africa's shock win over disappointing hosts Egypt; and not forgetting Madagascar's epic penalty defeat of DR Congo; a tense quarter final face-off between Ivory Coast and Algeria; the magical last-gasp free kick from Riyad Mahrez that sent the latter into the final. The list of exciting moments in this year’s tournament is indeed, endless. Below we reflect on the winners and standout performers of the tournament, as well as those who fell short of expectations.

“Talk about a breath of fresh air! It is often said that every tournament needs a good underdog story: they surely don’t come much better than Madagascar. ”

— Siphosethu Thwala,FirstTouch Africa

Riyad Mahrez of Algeria leaves the team bus prior to the international friendly match between Algeria and Armenia at Estadio Tourbillon on May 31, 2014 in Sion, Switzerland.

(May 30, 2014 - Source: Philipp Schmidli/Getty Images Europe)

WINNERS

Algeria

Lifting the tournament trophy for only the second time, little or no one can feel that these guys were not worthy champions. They played their hearts out for the duration of the tourney. Yes, fortune did favor them along the way (Baghdad Bounedjah's early deflected goal is an example) but in all honesty, Algeria played very well. The frenzy celebrations at the end of the final whistle said it all. Having waited for such a moment for nearly three decades when the team last lifted the trophy, Algeria’s triumph was well worth the wait for the North African giants. They scored 13 goals in the tournament, five more than fellow finalists, Senegal. Their journey to the final was also nothing short of being memorable. Djamel Belmadi's side needed a sensational last-gasp Riyad Mahrez winner to beat Nigeria in the last four, having previously won a tense penalty shootout against Ivory Coast. Until their dramatic shootout win over Ivory Coast, Algeria's run through AFCON had been as sleek as they come. They did not concede a goal until Jonathan Kodjia's equalizer for Ivory Coast, and looked like the tournament's most complete team in all departments. It is hard to argue that they did not deserve to win the tournament. Their hard work paid off.

Nigeria

This pick is probably debatable, but I stand my ground. After almost forcing their way into the finals until they were stopped in their tracks by Riyad Mahrez’s sublime last minute free kick, one can argue that the Nigerians had a satisfactory tournament. They bounced back from their earlier shocking 2-0 defeat to surprise package Madagascar, and slowly exerted themselves as the tournament progressed, beating Cameroon in the round of 16. They further went on to beat South Africa’s Bafana Bafana to seal a place in the semi-finals. Taking into account the many problems faced by the team leading up to the tournament, including the goalkeeping headache faced by coach Gernot Rohr, the fact that the West African side made it to the semifinals cannot be wholly overlooked and as such, they deserve some credit as they walked away with the bronze after dispatching Tunisia to earn a record eighth third-place medal.

The Nigeria team warm up prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group D match between Croatia and Nigeria at Kaliningrad Stadium on June 16, 2018 in Kaliningrad, Russia.

(June 15, 2018 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)

Madagascar

Talk about a breath of fresh air! It is often said that every tournament needs a good underdog story: they surely don't come much better than Madagascar. Making their maiden appearance at the tournament, the team shocked many as they went as far as the quarter-finals stage. The manner of their progress was remarkable too: they suffered stage fright in the first half of their opener with Guinea, but from then on, it was as if a switch had flicked on. They drew their first game against Guinea, beat Burundi in their second, before they stunned Nigeria, convincingly beating them, 2-0. They did not stop there. They went on to the round of 16 where they further outgunned DR Congo before being put to the sword by a well alert Tunisian side in the last eight. Nevertheless, what is memorable about the journey of this Madagascar side is the manner in which they achieved this feat. They played an appetizing brand of attacking football that was pleasing to the eyes of many football fanatics, showing no fear, not even against the tried and tested so called big teams. They seemed to have a different tactical plan for each game and one must commend their charismatic coach Nicolas Dupuis for leading the team that far, especially considering the chaotic state the infrastructure of Madagascar football is in back on the island. It is without a doubt that Madagascar have been the romantic story of this tournament and one cannot help but wonder the growth they will have had in the next AFCON tournament.

“The ultimate flop of the tournament. As winners of three of four previous editions in Egypt, the hosts were expected to be chief contenders for a record-extending eighth title.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

LOSERS

Senegal

Aliou Cisse, Head coach of Senegal gives instructions to Cheikhou Kouyate and Sadio Mane of Senegal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group H match between Senegal and Colombia at Samara Arena on June 28, 2018 in Samara, Russia.

(June 27, 2018 - Source: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe)

Another debatable pick in this category, understandably so. Senegal are a perfect epitome of the adage “so near yet so far”. This Senegalese side rarely looked troubled throughout the whole tournament. Finishing off with a silver medal after a steady steely run to the final, they went home to a sizable crowd that praised their efforts despite the heartbreak of losing a second final. Boasting of a number of African stars, Senegal were one of the top two teams that were in the running to win the AFCON title but they choked when it mattered most. The team had an impressive run leading to the final, only losing ironically to their final opponents Algeria. Though some will feel the team was somewhat unfortunate to be without their reliable defender in Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly in the epic finale due to suspension. As such, the long wait to deliver a title that has for so long remained elusive, remains the primary objective for the Teranga Lions moving forward. Though they may endure this pain for a while, they can pride themselves in having a bright future, especially with a young coach like Cisse at the helm. It is only a matter of time now for the Senegalese, or is it?

Egypt and Salah

The ultimate flop of the tournament. As winners of three of four previous editions in Egypt, the hosts were expected to be chief contenders for a record-extending eighth title. Little did we know. Playing in their own backyard, the Egyptians were a disappointment to say the least. Worse, not even the presence of UEFA Champions League winner Mo Salah was enough to propel the Pharaohs to glory on home soil. Fresh from a memorable season with Liverpool, you could be forgiven for believing that Salah would be the central figure of this tournament. Though he did score twice in the group stages against DR Congo and Uganda respectively, Salah could not deliver when his country needed him the most during the painful 1-0 loss to South Africa in the last 16 which shocked the 75 000 scores of fans at the Cairo International Stadium. The seven-time champions’ exit cost coach Javier Aguirre his job as he was soon sacked by the Egyptian Football Association, becoming the first of many casualties, which also included the resignation of Egyptian FA president Hani Abou Rida.

Mohamed Salah of Egypt is consoled by team mate Shikabala the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group A match between Russia and Egypt at Saint Petersburg Stadium on June 19, 2018 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

(June 18, 2018 - Source: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Europe)

Morocco

There was no doubt in many people’s minds that when the Atlas Lions took a flight to Egypt, they would be counted among the pre-tournament favorites for AFCON 2019, but however suffered a shock penalty shootout defeat at the hands of Benin in the last 16. For a moment, one thought these guys would go all the way, and rightly so. They had won all three of their group stage matches with ease, conceding no goals. That was before they were put to the sword by a determined Benin outfit during a 4-1 decisive penalty shootout. The Moroccans began the group phase with a trio of 1-0 wins over Namibia, South Africa and the Ivory Coast but nobody would imagine what would befall them in the last 16 match. Boasting the presence of Ajax Amsterdam’s Hakim Ziyech who had set tongues wagging during the 2018/19 Champions League season, most Moroccan fans were hoping he would drive the team to glory. But Benin had other ideas. The 26-year-old did not sparkle at all in Egypt, which was worsened by a penalty miss in injury time against Benin. It came as no surprise that their coach, the renowned Herve Renard, too, was in good old fashion, sacked.

Cameroon

Being the defending champions, much was expected from the Cameroonian side, but they couldn’t deliver. There was just no real hint of class in the Indomitable Lions’ play. Not even the presence of celebrated football legends Clarence Seedorf and his assistant Patrick Kluivert could help their cause. Clarence Seedorf’s men failed dismally to live up to expectations and defend their trophy. They were painfully ousted by third place finishers, Nigeria in what was a five goal thriller, possibly the game of the tournament. As has become the norm in football, the big flop costed Seedorf his job.

 Other teams such as Ghana cannot be spared. The West African side appeared to lack energy and focus during the whole tournament and deserve to be mentioned among the other sides that flopped.

Herve Renard, Head coach of Morocco consoles Faycal Fajr of Morocco who looks dejected following his sides defeat, meaning his team are knocked out of the World Cup after the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group B match between Portugal and Morocco at Luzhniki Stadium on June 20, 2018 in Moscow, Russia.

(June 19, 2018 - Source: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe)

NOSTALGIC MOMENTS

Mahrez's sensational flourish aside, the tournament's bigger names were rather peripheral. Mohamed Salah did score two fine goals early on for Egypt, and Sadio Mane was on target three times for Senegal, also missing two penalties. But none of them really produced a performance for the ages, or one to define the tournament. The real heroes were players like Ismael Bennacer, Baghdad Bounedjah and Youcef Belaili, a trio that proved that the AFCON tournament still has the potential to unleash a breadth of new stars.

Overall, it was a fine tournament for bright, up-and-coming coaches and none more so than the victorious Djamel Belmadi. Algeria's tactical mastermind conducted himself with class throughout the tourney, building a team that could sweep opponents aside through sheer technical quality in one moment, while deriving a game shutting display the next. The same can be said for Aliou Cisse, his old friend and Senegalese counterpart, who guided his side with class to the narrow final defeat. On that note, it appears that perhaps we may begin to see more local coaches taking charge of their national teams, a realization that developing local coaches can be advantageous in the long run.

Who are the underdogs who could shock the world?

UNDERDOG IN THE AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS CONTEXT

The term underdog largely refers to the least likely team to achieve a certain feat. In as much as this is similarly true for Africa when it comes to the biennial AFCON tourney, there’s a small tweak to it. We have seen it over and over again. It’s fair to say that there may be underdogs on paper but when that whistle blows, nobody cares about the name of the nation or the names borne on the team shirts.

The holders of the AFCON gold were somehow minnows heading into the 2017 tournament, with the youngest squad and a few of their star players opting not to turn up for the Gabon finals. But against all odds, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon went all the way to the podium, eliminating Sadio Mane’s Senegal and denying record winners Egypt an eighth title in the final. How about Zambia’s 2012 title triumph or Burkina Faso’s dominating display and final appearance in 2015, who saw all that coming? Not many did.

In the same spirit, let’s be not be caught by surprise and practice a bit of forward thinking by exploring the position of a few other sides who hardly make the favorites conversation but are very much capable of becoming Africa’s top side when that final whistle is blown on the 22nd of July 2019.

Gilles Binya of Cameroon and Oussama Darragi of Tunisia in action during the Africa Cup of Nations Group D match between Cameroon and Tunisia from the Alto da Chela Stadium on January 21, 2010 in Lubango, Angola. ((Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images) / Getty Images)(Jan. 20, 2010 - Source: Gallo Images/Getty Images Europe)

CAMEROON

Overview

Hard as it may be to believe, the champions aren’t really favorites heading into the 2019 Egypt finals. They were underdogs in 2017 and won, but are still pretty much an average side in comparison to the likes of Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt and Ivory Coast. This assessment is not based on their flamboyant history that includes the most FIFA World Cup appearances by an African nation, being the second most successful team in AFCON history with 5 titles, only two behind Egypt; a 2000 Olympic gold medal win, the controversies of sleeveless shirts or heroism of the likes of the late Marc Vivien Foe. It’s solely based on form and theirs has not been among the most impressive.

Cameroon enter their first major tournament under the guidance of the celebrated Clarence Seerdorf. They could have benefited from a massive home advantage, if their 2019 hosting rights weren’t transferred to the Egyptians because of ill-preparedness and safety concerns prevailing in the Central African nation. The Indomitable Lions still managed to secure second place behind Morocco despite a far from convincing campaign in a group that also featured lowly ranked Comoros and Malawi. Most concerning, was their overall tally of 6 goals during the qualifiers, as many as those scored by Burundi’s Fiston Abdul Razak. That and more constitute the reasons why many aren’t vouching for Cameroon and their more pragmatic fans will surely be cautious not to raise their hopes up.

However, just because they are probably retaining most of the players that won the AFCON title in 2017, bringing with them the experience of winning as well as the opportunity to enter as a mid-tier team, it’s not impossible that the Indomitable Lions could slip under the radar and retain the championship. Even more, they arguably don’t have as much pressure as the likes of Egypt, Morocco or Ghana to win, seeing they have done their fans well in recent times. Further validating their chances, it helps to look at their most inform players and explore the possibility of them channeling the same energy to the rest of the squad.

The most in-form players

Quite honestly, they haven’t had a lot of exciting players in the just ended 2018/19 campaign, which is not a rare feature of underdogs. The 6 goals scored and 3 conceded in the AFCON qualifiers tells you why this is so. The 2017 final match-winner and FC Porto forward Vincent Aboubakar was injured for the majority of the season, Zambo Anguissa and his Fulham side were relegated from the Premier League while left-back Gaetan Bong survived the scare of relegation with his naïve Brighton & Hove Albion side. Veteran forward, Chopou Moting warmed PSG’s bench as his Ligue 1 side completed an average season. Only 23-year-old goalkeeper, Andre Onana had a somewhat spectacular season with Ajax who missed out on the Champions League final by a whisker. It’s not however a guarantee that Seerdorf will start the youngster ahead of the vastly experienced Carlos Kameni or Fabrice Ondoa.

Possible surprise stars

Three names stand out, the 23-year-old forward Christian Bassogog who plies his trade in the Chinese Super League, 25-year-old Marseille striker in Clinton N’jie and the 23-year-old Mainz 05 midfielder, Pierre Kunde.

Riyad Mahrez of Algeria holds off a challenge by Daniel Van Buyten of Belgium during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group H match between Belgium and Algeria at Estadio Mineirao on June 17, 2014 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

(June 16, 2014 - Source: Jeff Gross/Getty Images South America)

 ALGERIA

Overview

The Desert Foxes may be the side that have a lot of players with more to lose, but still remain as an underdog. The North Africans have played some of the most entertaining football on the continent over the years, which makes it hard to believe that they only have 1 AFCON title to show for it, which came in 1990. Most memorable to many, they made the continent proud by proving to be a hard nut to crack in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Round of 16, losing to eventual champions Germany in extra-time after a fiercely contested goalless 90 minutes.

They have been however perhaps the most disappointing on the continental stage in recent times, with their best finish being a 4th place finish in the AFCON finals since their triumph in 1990. The Fennecs usually dominate possession, blow teams away in the early stages but falter towards the finish line. Algerian fans have waited long enough and given the opportunity of being pitted against Senegal and lowly ranked Kenya and Tanzania in Group C of the finals, they have a chance to slip under the radar with ease towards the AFCON gold.

The most in-form players

Amongst the 24-finalists, arguably no team has better depth than the Desert Foxes. Even better, their top guys finished the 2018/19 in sizzling form, something we have seen over the years but hoping it would translate to some silverware this time around. Riyad Mahrez scored a magical goal in Manchester City’s Premier League title win against Brighton on final day while Yacine Brahimi continued to be the mastermind in FC Porto’s midfield, helping the Portuguese side to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Long-time servant and tricky winger, Sofiane Feghouli who is in the books of Galatasaray remains available, MLS based Saphir Taider has been decent and perhaps the man of the moment, Baghdad Bounedjah. The 27-year-old may not be a household name but his 3 goals during the qualifiers and 39 league goals in 22 outings for Qatar Stars League’s Al Sadd SC are a testimony that he will hurt goalkeepers and defenders alike.

Possible surprise stars

The 23-year-old highly rated defender, Youcef Atal who plays for Ligue 1’s OGC Nice is expected to increase his stock and 21-year-old Arsenal Academy Graduate and Empoli midfielder, Ismael Bennacer could find himself winning a major transfer deal if he remains consistent.

TUNISIA

Tunisia pose prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group G match between Panama and Tunisia at Mordovia Arena on June 28, 2018 in Saransk, Russia.

(June 27, 2018 - Source: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Europe)

Overview

If you consider Egypt to be favorites, Tunisia are pretty much in that fold even though they may be skipped in the conversations. The two North African nations made a show of their opponents in the qualifiers, winning pretty much all their matches against Niger and eSwatini, with less-respectful score-lines. Their only loses were against each other. The Carthage Eagles finished top of the group ahead of the hosting Pharaohs as the latter dropped points in a drawn match. Tunisia are one of the highly ranked teams in the tournament, sitting in 28th place on the FIFA rankings as of 4 April 2019. Even though they have one AFCON title to show for their consistence, they remain one of the most respected, least spoken of but dangerous opponent on the continent. Just one year ago at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, they bowed out with their heads held high in the group stages after succumbing to 2-1 and 5-2 losses to eventual 4th place and 3rd place finishers in England and Belgium respectively. They didn’t leave Russia without a win of their own as they saw off debutants Panama, 2-1 after falling behind in the first half. After failing to progress past the quarter-final stage in the AFCON finals since their triumph on home soil in 2004, fans of the Carthage Eagles are eager to see their consistent performers break the duck and win some deserved AFCON gold.

Wahbi Khazri of Tunisia celebrates with teammate Fakhreddine Ben Youssef after scoring his team's second goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group G match between Panama and Tunisia at Mordovia Arena on June 28, 2018 in Saransk, Russia.

(June 27, 2018 - Source: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Europe)

The most in-form players

Many are, but captain and the highest scoring Tunisian of this generation, Wahbi Khazri tops the list. The complete forward was in sumptuous form for St. Etienne as the Ligue 1 side narrowly missed out on the Champions League places. The 28-year-old carried forward his 2018 FIFA World Cup scoring form by banging in 13 leagues goals and 6 assists to help his French club to finish 4th. Many lovers of football will also be delighted to hear that the highly rated Youssef Mskani will likely appear for the Carthage Eagles and so will the diminutive and extremely talented attacker, 26-year-old Naiim Sliti

Possible surprise stars

If time and chance has its way, 24-year-old Montpellier midfielder, Ellyes Skhiri could finally enjoy a major breakout campaign and attract some coveted suitors. Another exciting youngster coming up the ranks is 23-year-old Dylan Bronn who plays for Belgian side, Genk. At that tender age, Bronn already had 10 caps to his name, his stock will only rise going forward.

Boosted by Tunisian club, Esperance de Tunis’ retaining of the CAF Champions League, coach Alain Giresse will generally be spoiled for choice and the North African nation will be on song to try and grab the AFCON gold that has been out of their grasp since 2004.

“The Indomitable Lions still managed to secure second place behind Morocco despite a far from convincing campaign in a group that also featured lowly ranked Comoros and Malawi. Most concerning, was their overall tally of 6 goals during the qualifiers, as many as those scored by Burundi’s Fiston Abdul Razak. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

SOUTH AFRICA

Overview

They haven’t had a lot go their way since 1996 when they clinched their first and only Africa Cup of Nations on home soil. Being one of the oldest African teams, having played their first match in 1924, South Africans could probably feel the wait for some consistent major tournament success has been longer than most. Since 2000, Bafana have either failed to qualify for AFCON finals or qualify but go as far as the quarter-finals, even when they hosted the tournament back in 2013.

In many ways, their football structure is more or less like that of England. They have the best football league on the continent, the Absa Premiership, and most of their players are home grown. Over the years, Bafana hasn’t had the best of talent come through their ranks, but their consistence and persistence in building the local league structures could pay dividends sooner rather than later. Just as England almost brought it home in the 2018 World Cup, boosted by efforts of the English Premier League.

Stuart Baxter’s men are in the so called group of death with favorites Ivory Coast, Morocco and Namibia but it’s pretty much non-fictitious that they can cause problems for any opponent. With a fascinating short pass attacking style of play, Bafana finished off the qualifiers as one of the five unbeaten teams, even shooting down the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their own backyard. They are one of the dark-horses and could once again feel the weight of AFCON glory.

South Africa's Sundowns striker Percy Tau vies with Tunisia's Esperance of Tunis defender Ali Machani (L) during the African Champions League (CAF) group stage football match on June 22, 2017 in olympic Rades Stadium near Tunis. / AFP PHOTO / SALAH HABIBI

(June 20, 2017 - Source: AFP)

The most in-form players

Arguably the best footballer on the continent right now is in their ranks. Percy Muzi Tau has been nothing short of a revelation for Bafana as he added to his accolade filled 2017/18 season with a stellar 2018/19 campaign in Belgium that saw him win the player of the season award, as he was on loan from Premier League side Brighton. The 2018/19 Absa Premiership Player of the season, Thembinkosi Lorch will be expected to partner with Tau upfront together with 23-year-old Ligue 1 based, Lebo Mothiba.

All of these bright and young stars combined with the experience of Hlompo Kekana and Thulani Hlatshwayo; Bafana presents a formidable force to challenge for the title.

Possible surprise stars

Two of the rising stars that are keeping people on their toes are 24-year-old forward Lebohang Maboe and 23-year-old midfielder in Aubrey Modiba, both of whom are currently plying their trade in the Absa Premiership. Should Stuart Baxter give them more chances, there’s no telling how further they could go.

MLS Preview: Top 10 Must Watch Players Of African Descent - #6 Saphir Taider

Saphir Taider of Algeria controls the ball against Philipp Lahm of Germany during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Round of 16 match between Germany and Algeria at Estadio Beira-Rio on June 30, 2014 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

(June 29, 2014 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images South America)

Taider is one of MLS’ top imports from Europe’s big soccer leagues. The 27-year-old arrived at Montreal Impact in the January of 2018 from Italian Serie A’s Bologna and took no time to adjust to new surroundings. By the turn of the year, Taider had started 34 competitive matches for the Canadian club, scored 8 goals and serving up 5 assists.In other words, he instantly became a crucial figure in the heart of Impact’s midfield. The Algerian international is entering his second season in the MLS and the club will be counting on the midfield maestro to run the show and help the club better their 7th place finish in the 2018 season.

Prior to joining Montreal Impact, Taider appeared for Italian clubs Sassuolo, Bologna and Inter Milan including a short stint at the English Premier League’s Southampton. His elder brother represents the country of his father’s birth,Tunisia, while Taider plays for the rivals, Algeria, the mother’s country of origin. The 27-year-old central midfielder made his international debut in 2013 and has since played 44 matches for the Desert Foxes, scoring 5 times. He helped the nation to reach the knockout stages of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and was also a key figure as the North African nation reached the quarter-finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Impact teammate and midfield partner, Samuel Piette, described Saphir as a complete player.

“We can see this year he has a lot of goals and assists, so he’s participating as well offensively. He’s got a good shot. I mean he hasn’t scored a screamer so far but he’s had a couple of good shots. He’s not an individual player, he likes to make plays [to] the others. Obviously we have Nacho [Piatti]  so he looks for him. He looks for the strength of the team and tries to play on that. He doesn’t really have weaknesses, to be honest. He’s a very complete player.”

— Samuel Piette, Montreal Impact

10 January Transfers Everyone Wants To See: #2 Houssem Aouar

No matter how good some players are, football players or otherwise – they kind of need a bigger turf or neighbourhood to show that they belong, to prove that they have the “it” factor. Such is the story of some of the most exciting professional footballers in the game today, they can only become as big as the club they play for and we have a few names that many would want to see move to other pastures. Some have been rumoured away from their clubs and some haven’t but sooner rather than later, transfers are inevitable. Coming in on number 2 on our list is another Ligue 1 player.

Houssem Aouar of Lyon is challenged by Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between Manchester City and Olympique Lyonnais at Etihad Stadium on September 19, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 18, 2018 - Source: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Europe)

Do you remember the midfield maestro, Barcelona’s Xavi. The not so tall Spaniard who could mark anyone out of possession no matter their shape or size but mostly known for literally controlling the midfield by spraying all sorts of passes onto his teammates. Or are you perhaps excited with one of Barcelona’s most recent acquisitions in Arthur Mello, one tipped to be the long awaited replacement to Xavi. There is another copy of the two, short and also unique in his own playing style but just as dangerous. Olympique Lyonnais’ 20 year-old Aouar is simply remarkable. His maturity and simplicity with the ball has made him one of the hottest midfield prospects. Against the likes of Fernandinho or David Silva, Aouar came out on top in all of Lyon-Manchester meetings in this year’s UEFA champions league group stage. He can get out of any situation regardless of the number of opponents surrounding him and has been equally “guilty” of picking out the likes of Memphis Depay, Ivorian Maxwell Cornet or Burkinabe international Betrand Traore in unimaginable positions.

A young midfield anchor of Algerian descent, showing signs of maturity, incredible ability but still with a lot of growing to do, will he stay or will a new club be so blessed to have him?

English Premier League Round Up: Matchday 5

Cardiff City vs Manchester City (Saturday, 22 September 2018)

Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City scores his team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Cardiff City and Manchester City at Cardiff City Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images Europe)

Pep Guardiola’s men thumped the home team by five goals to nil and the Algerian international made a mark in this game. Mahrez scored two goals on the day which are his first goals for the Premier League champions.

Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (Saturday, 22 September 2018)

Ivorian centre back Eric Bailly’s struggles continued as he was benched again on Saturday when the Manchester club played Wolves. The defender was not available to help his team who were disappointing in front of their fans at the “Theater of Dreams”. It was also Sir Alex Ferguson’s first appearance back at the club since being discharged from the hospital. United drew 0-0 with Wolves.

Liverpool vs Southampton (Saturday, 22 September 2018)

It was the Cameroonian international, Joel Matip’s debut for the season as his club took on the Saints. He marked his return to the first team with a goal on the 21st minute courtesy of a brilliantly taken corner kick by Trent Alexander Arnold.

Also, another African player made it on the scoresheet for Liverpool. English Premier League top goal scorer for the 2017/18 season, Mohamed Salah, scored Liverpool’s third in a 3-0 victory against Van Dijk’s old club. This result means that Liverpool maintain their perfect start to the season with five straight victories in the league. Watch out for the African connection at this club!

Joel Matip of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield on September 22, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)

Brighton vs Tottenham (Saturday, 22 September 2018)

Tottenham grinded out a 2-1 win away from home. The main highlight from this match for us was the fact that Vincent Wanyama did not play yet again. The African player seems to have fallen out of favor at the London club which raises questions about his future. The Kenyan midfielder is too talented to be wasted on the bench at any club having been denied the opportunity to get some game time in the UEFA Champions League opener against Inter Milan.

Lucas Moura and VIctor Wanyama of Tottenham Hotspur FC play around while visting Venice Beach on July 24, 2018 in Venice, California.

(July 23, 2018 - Source: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images North America)

West Ham vs Chelsea (Sunday, 23 September 2018)

We were keen to see two African players in action, with DR Congo international, Masuaku playing in his preferred left back role for West Ham United as well as Victor Moses being preferred on the right hand side of an attacking three for Chelsea. It was unfortunate to see Sari rotating that position bringing on William ahead of the Nigerian international who recently announced his retirement with an intention to focus on his career with Chelsea. Both teams had little to separate them as the game ended in another goalless draw.

Arsenal vs Everton (Sunday, 23 September 2018)

Gabonese international striker, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang continued his goal scoring form for Arsenal as he scored the second goal for the club in a 2-0 victory against Everton. The first was scored by fellow striker, Alexandre Lacazette who has formed a bromance with the former Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan striker. Nigerian midfielder, Alex Iwobi could only come off the bench for Aubameyang after his stellar performances in mid week where he was by far the man of the Match for Arsenal in the UEFA Europa League match against Vorskla Poltava.

Ghezzal and Seri, two match winners to watch out for this Premier League weekend

“It’s all about building up that confidence and getting some look good statistics next to their names now and forever. This weekend is one such opportunity, will the sons of the African soil in Ghezzal and Seri seize the opportunity...”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Confidence is just as important or even more important than talent in football. It’s almost the singular attribute that is directly correlated to superior performance. For instance, Arsenal’s Iwobi is looking a different player under Unai Emery even though we had always known the Nigerian is a top talent. Confidence is paying off huge dividends. Leicester City’s replacement to Algerian Riyad Mahrez who left for Premier League champions Man City, Rachid Ghezzal is one player who can get a few more good performances under his belt and finally settle in his new EPL surroundings after arriving from Monaco in the summer. Fulham’s Jean Michel Seri is undoubtedly the conductor of their orchestra and has pulled off some interesting performances this campaign. As both Leicester City and Fulham face-off opposition outside the big six this weekend, it’s all to play for and the coronation of these playmakers with some look good stats could be in sight.

Rachid Ghezzal

Rachid Ghezzal of Leicester City (left) celebrates with team mate Vicente Iborra of Leicester City (right) after scoring his team's fourth goal during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Leicester City and Fleetwood Town at The King Power Stadium on August 28, 2018 in Leicester, England.

(Aug. 27, 2018 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

Yes, the 26-year-old Algerian international is just as left-footed as Mahrez and inherited his place in the 2014/15 Premier League champions’ setup but he is his own player. Comparisons between him and Mahrez will get even louder and Ghezzal will surely be focused on one thing at this point in his career, being at his best. It did not quite work out for him with his previous employers as he managed eleven goals in 87 Lyon appearances, only two for Monaco in 26 appearances before Leicester captured him for £10 million in the summer. He is however an undisputable talent, comfortable on the ball, with a sharp left foot always enabling him to cut inside when playing on the right wing to get some goals or set up teammates. He is also more physical than Mahrez, one attribute that makes it inevitable for him to cope with the intensity of the premier league. He got his dream start to life in England with a goal against EPL leaders Liverpool in a 2-1 loss at the King Power but was just as fault as all the other Leicester players in 4-2 loss to Bournemouth last weekend. With Leicester City desperate to comeback to winning ways when they welcome 18th placed Huddersfield Town, Ghezzal will surely be instrumental if they are to get something out of the match. It’s a match they fancy themselves winning and one that Ghezzal perhaps believe will be a real confidence boost as he builds upon his manager, Claude Puel’s confidence in him as a player offering something different to the Foxes set up.

Jean Michael Seri

The Ivorian is no stranger to starring roles. He was OGC Nice’s starman from 2015 throughout to 2018 after he was signed from Portuguese side Pacos De Ferreira. He was so good in the French Ligue 1 that a proposed €40 million move to Barcelona failed by a whisker. He was widely viewed as a player to help fill the void left by Barca legend Andres Iniesta. Premier League new boys, Fulham won his signature ahead of the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham simply because the 27-year-old felt like the Craven Cottagers were more serious in their approach to land the midfielder. He is up and running early after winning the Premier League Goal of the Month for August, for a stunner he bagged in a Fulham’s 4-2 victory over Burnely and a top drawer assist for Andre Schurrle’s goal at Brighton. He was missing in the Whites last outing at Manchester City, in a performance that was headlined his error that led to City’s first goal within ninety seconds of kick-off. He has been featured as one of the hardworking midfielders currently in the English top flight and the Watford match on Saturday at home that kicks off the Premier League weekend is one he will be looking to run and quickly get back to his best. Watford have however proven to be a tricky opposition, winning four of their first five premier league matches. It will undoubtedly be an interesting battle in the midfield against the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure.

It’s all about building up that confidence and getting some look good statistics next to their names now and forever. This weekend is one such opportunity, will the sons of the African soil in Ghezzal and Seri seize the opportunity and be the match-winners they have always been yet again?

FT English Premier League Preview: How will Mahrez fair at Manchester City?

The Price Tag

Riyad Karim Mahrez could be the most expensive African player in history after sealing a £60 million move to Manchester City. The five-year deal is believed to reach an astounding £75 million with add-ons and would very much surpass the Congolese, Cedric Bakambu’s £65 million switch to Chinese Super League side, Beijing Guoan. The 27-year-old Algerian international has also become the Cityzens’ record signing, which speaks volumes about just how much the club admire and what is expected of him. This leads me to the first question many will be keen to see answered, whether Riyad will live up to his perceived value.

He has been to the mountain-top

Do you remember the fairytale of the 2015/16 Premier League season, where Leicester City lifted the trophy against all odds? Riyad was the man at the heart of Claudio Ranieri’s set up, terrorising opposition, creating chances, scoring goals - mostly from the right wing side, always cutting inside and slipping away from defenders with what became known as the ‘Mahrez chop’. His partnership with Jamie Vardy ensured the latter would also write his name in the English record books for quite a number of records. Even Riyad looked great on paper too, scoring 17 goals and serving up 11 assists. That year, 2016, became his ‘Mo Salah’ year getting all sorts of awards. In fact, he almost matches Salah on accolades received, except that he did not outscore his Leicester teammate who won the golden boot. Mahrez’s track record proves that he will unlikely be unfazed by the challenge of City who happens to be a town, subset of a world he has dominated before, a world that is English football. Lest I get carried away talking about the past, let’s look ahead into his City future.

New level, new heights, and new dreams

After being a subject of many failed attempts for a move away from Leicester since the fairytale season, Riyad finally got what most people wished for him. A bigger club, with a bigger fan base, top quality players, and definitely bigger dreams. He had reached a ceiling with the Foxes and with all due respect to Leicester, it wouldn’t have been a fun show seeing his immense ability and potential only in use to help a mid-table club stay afloat. In my opinion, Mahrez’s ability on the ball and to take-on players is second to only a handful of professional footballers all around the world. Since 2015/16 season, only Hazard, Sanchez and Zaha have completed more dribbles in the EPL. See the company he is keeping, Zaha is another African who actually deserves a blog post on this site. After a disappointing 2016/17 campaign with Leicester where he only managed 4 goals and 2 assists, Riyad redeemed himself in the follow-up, scoring 12 times and registering 10 assists. Under the mentorship of Pep Guardiola and the company of the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, David Silva and Aguero, he is probably dreaming bigger. A champions league triumph perhaps, a place among the G.O.A.Ts of the football world maybe - the sky is really the limit now.

Will he actually get a real chance?

It is no secret that the Premier League champions have unparalleled depth in the quality of their squad. More so, given the attitude of the almost unpredictable tactician in Guardiola, no player is safe from sitting some matches out. Not even the record signing. Mahrez’s preferred position is on either wing, especially the right one, where Raheem Sterling largely operated from, scoring 18 Premier League goals from also serving up 11 assists. Bernardo Silva who is possibly City’s best player in the pre-season tour so far will also be vying for more minutes on either wing, let alone the Germany prodigal child, Leroy Sane who scooped the PFA Young Player of the Year Award in City’s title-winning season. I actually think Riyad could get some preference, especially on the right wing as he is able to hug the touchline, just like Sane does on the left - something that Guardiola once which Sterling has come up short of in recent times. He also offers something more, in terms of the ability to score long range shots, which we have hardly seen Sterling do. At the end of the day, only time will tell, but best guaranteed that whatever chance he gets, he will surely be keen to make the most of it. He is very much aware of the probabilities.

The nitty-gritties

A few things to note out and keep an eye on include; the possibility of Riyad, Aubameyang, Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita rivaling each other for the CAF African Player of the award, now that they are all a big parts of three of the best clubs in the EPL and the rest of the world. Could he possibly even compete for the golden boot if deployed in Sterling’s position, I mean, we are very much aware of his goal-scoring ability. The unsettling factor in the equation of predicting Riyad’s debut season at City is the possibility of injuries stepping in to take away all the fun. Just like any other footballer, he is not completely immune any. He has already survived a major scare in pre-season after being taken-off a pre-season match against Bayern Munich as a result of an ankle injury. Hopefully, it’s the last of it.

Let us know how you think Riyad will fair at City in the comment box below. Let the games begin!

Aubameyang scores but Arsenal’s woes continue

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been nothing short of spectacular since his move from Borussia Dortmund. The Gabon international has come to the English Premier League deemed the most competitive of them all and has already managed to score 9 goals and provide 4 assists in just 10 starts as according to WhoScored. The African player had already done the most in the Germany where he scored 21 goals in all competitions at club level. Combined, the Aubameyang has scored 30 goals in all competitions this season excluding the one goal he scored for his nation in an international friendly game. This deserves so much praise for a player who joined a team in the middle of the season just like some international players like Alexis Sanchez but has still managed to outscore them. Of those goals, one of them came from today’s match between Arsenal and Leicester City.

Iheanacho opened the scoring in the 14th minute. The Nigerian international has not been in the best of form this season unlike his fellow African counterpart Aubameyang as this is only his second goal in the league. Iheanacho was dangerous on the night though as he was clean through on goal before being brought down by young Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos. The Greek defender was shown a red card and Arsenal were short. Arsenal held on until Aubameyang came to the rescue and score in the 53rd minute. Arsenal was level on matters and was looking to pull a comeback but their hopes were shattered by Jamie Vardy’s penalty who scored after Grey was brought down in the box by Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Another African player claimed a stake from the match between the two teams. Algerian born winger Riyad Mahrez scored the 3rd and final goal for Leicester to seal their 3-1 win against Arsenal. Arsenal have not won a single point this year away from home which can be a mental challenge for the players that the incoming Arsenal coach has to deal with in the new season. Wenger has one final chance to win on a note and win points away from in their match against Huddersfield on the 13th of May.

Bouna Sarr refuses to represent Senegal at the FIFA World Cup 2018

Bouna Sarr is a defender who plays for Marseille in the French Ligue 1. He is a son of a Senegalese father and a Guinea mother who was born in France in 1992. The player has never represented a national team in his whole career, and is now 26 years of age. He got an opportunity of a lifetime to go and play at the FIFA World Cup this year in Russia, an opportunity that some of the greatest legends in football like Ryan Giggs never got until they retired. However, this did not prevent him for declining the chance to represent Senegal. He said, “It’s France and nothing else, nothing else is a big word, but I always dreamed of playing for the French team.”

This is not the first time that the player has declined the opportunity to play for an African team. He once also rejected to play for Guinea in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations saying that, “I’m French, I was born here I only have an attraction for the Blues.” Current Arsenal player, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang was also born in Laval, France but chose to represent the nation of his parents in Gabon. How odd is that?

Bouna Sarr is not the first player to reject the chance to represent African teams. In fact, there are so many other players in the past, some are even football legends, who chose to play for other nations like France, Italy and Portugal, even though they either were of African descent or they were born in the motherland. Let’s take a look at some of these players.

Firstly, the English Premier League was graced with a fantastic player in Patrick Vieira who played and captained Arsenal for many years. He was part of the famous ‘Invincible’ squad that went the whole season without losing a single match. He is also a World Cup winner with France having lifted the trophy in 1998. But did you know that he was born in Dakar, Senegal? Patrick began his career at Cannes in 1994 after his family moved from Dreux when he was eight years old. His surname, Vieira, is Portuguese and is the maiden name of his mother who also hails from Cape Verde. African blood in his veins and also born in Africa, but he chose to represent France because of reasons unknown. What we appreciate is his contribution to the game and creating a legacy where new players who play in a similar position are dubbed ‘the new Patrick Vieira’. Imagine what could have been had he represented the Senegalese nation?

Cristiano Ronaldo is the face of the Portuguese nation. Hold your horses there! We are not saying he is African, but…he shares the dressing room with someone from Africa. There was once a time when Manchester United produced a talent that looked like he was capable of equaling the player’s greatness. Louis Nani is the name of the player in question who was a promise but eventually failed to leave up to the hype. He, much like Ronaldo, represents the Portuguese nation and was part of the squad that lifted Portugal’s first major title in the UEFA Euro 2016. What most people might not know is the fact that the player is descendent from a small but beautiful island in Africa. Cape Verde is one of the tourist destinations in the continent with numerous beaches and has traditional morna music that Nani is familiar with because of his parents. There are some reports that he was born in Praia, Cape Verde but chose to represent Portugal and his decision is arguably justified after playing a part in the history-making Euros 2016.

Also, Super Mario is another player of African descent who chose to represent Italy instead of Ghana. Of course, we do not mean the game. Mario Balotelli, a striker that has represented clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Nice, is a son of Ghanaian parents. He was approached by the African team to represent them in 2008, but he refused because he was waiting for Italy to give him the nod. It is entirely a surprise why he is someone of questionable behaviour considering the way African parents discipline their kids. Mario is a wild card that has given headaches to his managers, Mourinho and Mancini because of his unpredictable behaviour. He is capable of skipping practice sessions without any reason, start a fight with teammates or even try some of the silliest things on the football pitch like doing a 360 turn alone when he is through on goal. The player is currently on a forced sabbatical from the national team after being exiled by the former Italy boss, Ventura who thought the player disrupted the camp.

Some so many players represented European sides. Some names worth mentioning include Zinedine Zidane (the current Real Madrid coach) of Algerian descent, Makelele born in Congo, N’golo Kante from Mali etc. Who else can you think of that we could have mentioned?

EPL Roundup Matchday 30

Gabonese striker, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang continues to lead the charge in the revitalised Arsenal side which had been lacking confidence recently. He scored away against Brighton in the Gunners’ 2-1 loss and added to his tally yesterday in emphatic style. The Batman, quickly latched on to Mkhitaryan’s silky pass and rounded the goalkeeper before finding the back of the net, capping off with an acrobatic celebration. He later on assisted the Armenian for Arsenal’s third goal. Elsewhere, Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez did what he does best for Leicester - assist and score goals. The Manchester City transfer saga seems to be behind him now. Riyad and Nigeria’s Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored his first EPL goal for the Foxes, were both on the scoresheet as Leicester embarrassed bottom of the table West Bromwich Albion, 4-1. Serge Aurier also grabbed a goal in Tottenham’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth together fellow Ivorian, Eric Bailly who returned to Man United’s starting line up. Bailly stopped Salah from scoring a goal for the first time in eight starts for Liverpool but couldn’t help but finish off Sadio Mane’s cross into his own net.

Mahrez Admits Regret For Man City Winter Transfer Saga

The former PFA Player of the Year Winner Riyad Mahrez of Leicester city has finally opened up about his reactions post the Manchester City saga in January this year. The player got angry when his club refused to let him go to Manchester City when the league leaders came calling for his services in the transfer window. The Algeria international immediately stopped training with the first team and was quoted to having said that, “I will not play for them ever again.” Mahrez felt that the club did not do him justice by allowing him his dream move to a massive club that has the opportunity to lift three trophies this season under Pep. His self-imposed exile lasted for a little more than a week as he eventually came to his senses and returned to play for the club that made him the player he is today. He regrets having made that decision of taking some time off because it represented a lack of professionalism which could potentially harm his move to another club in the future. He concedes that it was a bad period for him and that he has now gotten that behind him and if focused on giving his all for Leicester. Who knows what could happen in the summer? He could eventually go to City and increase the competition for Sterling on the right.

Africans To Watch Out For In The UCL Round of 16: #3 Yacine Brahimi

Yacine Brahimi

He is not perhaps as celebrated, but he is Vincent’s partner in crime at the Portuguese club. The 28-year-old Algerian has become a very important component of the Porto midfield. This season alone, he has scored seven goals and has seven assists to his name, averaging a passing accuracy of 79.2%. In the UEFA Champions League alone, he recovered 14 balls and covered 55.7km in six matches. It promises to be an interesting affair when they clash with fellow Africans from the Premier League in the form of Liverpool.