Have you always wanted to know the players, but understanding who is who in the game leaves you confused about the craze? Here is a fast breakdown of the key players in the continent and why we love or hate them!
20) Danjuma Arnaut
Following up on his impressive efforts in Bournemouth’s Premier League relegation struggle with superb performances in the second division, the Cherries fell short in the playoffs.
The winger finished the season with 17 goals and seven assists, a fantastic total.
Although he was unable to complete the job with Bournemouth, his performances have piqued the interest of the Nigerian football federation. They are reportedly interested in luring him away from the Netherlands.
19) Riddle Baku
This season, Baku made his Germany debut, representing the European heavyweights in a friendly against the Czech Republic, thanks to his eye-catching presence up and down Wolfsburg’s right flank.
The 23-year-old proposes the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is still eligible. It has a lot of versatility, an incredible pace, and is comfortable on both feet. After an outstanding season with LOSC Lille
18) Reinaldo
Reinaldo was a late bloomer, having only started playing in Mozambican football in 2015. He was a Ligue 1 champion with Les Dogues.
He becomes the first Mozambican Player to win the French title, and at the age of 27, he has established himself as Ligue 1’s best left-back.
17) Onuachu, Paul
This season, Onuachu was simply phenomenal in the Belgian top division, proving to be a goal-scoring monster for Genk.
He finished the season with 33 goals in 38 league appearances and has been linked with a significant move away from the Jupiler League.
16) Youssef En-Nesyri
En-Nesyri moved ahead of Lionel Messi in the Spanish top-flight scoring charts earlier this season. There was a lot of excitement.
En-Nesyri was encouraged by Sevilla legend Freddie Kanoute to contend for the Golden Boot. While he ultimately fell short, an 18-goal haul is a fantastic return for a player who has had to face his fair share of critics on his way to the top.
15) Wilfried Zaha is a footballer from the United Kingdom.
Despite not having had his finest season, Zaha still managed 11 Premier League goals for Crystal Palace and is one of the most eye-catching players in the league on his best days.
If he wants to keep his spot in this Power Ranking, he’ll have to start the next season strong, whether at Palace or elsewhere.
14) Victor Osimhen
The judgment is still out on whether Osimhen’s first season in Italy was a success, but that’s primarily due to his astronomical transfer fee.
Even if Osimhen concluded the season on a high note with a purple patch before the end, fans were undoubtedly expecting much more than his ten goals for €70 million.
13) Silas
Silas’ season came to an end in anger after it was revealed that he had been playing under a false identity and with an incorrect age. He was banned for unsporting behaviour.
Given the challenges and stumbling blocks African players face on their route to the top, many would sympathize with his story of manipulation.
He had a fantastic first season in the Bundesliga, scoring 11 goals for Stuttgart.
Silas’ season was cut short due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and he was also given a three-month suspension.
12) Bissouma, Yves
Another season of growth has arrived. Bissouma, who has been linked with a move to one of the Premier League’s top clubs, might make a significant move this summer.
This season, he’s been an on-field captain and midfield general for Brighton & Hove Albion, helping them avoid relegation with some dominant performances in the middle of the park.
Arsenal and Manchester United are both said to be keeping an eye on his position. He might potentially be a potential replacement for Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum.
11) Franck Kessie
Kessie is coming off a fantastic season at AC Milan. He was an inspirational figure for the Rossoneri as they mounted a credible title bid for a spell.
He scored 13 goals, a career-high, even though many were penalties. He also showed his leadership qualities in the middle of the field.
He was selected to the African Football HQ African Team of the Year following his impressive performances. It will be interesting to see if he can assist Milan’s challenge for the title next season.
10) Kelechi Iheanacho
Iheanacho, an FA Cup winner with Leicester City, played a crucial role in the Foxes’ run to the final for the first time since 1669, putting on some incredible exploits en route to the championship.
Although he missed out on the finale at Wembley Stadium, he became the competition’s all-time leading African scorer. He made crucial contributions to the final build-up against Manchester United (a brace) and Southampton (the winner), becoming the competition’s all-time leading African scorer in the process.
He scored a career-high 12 goals in the league, finally realizing the promise he exhibited as a teenager. Still, it wasn’t enough to get the Foxes into the Champions League.
9) Simy Nwankwo
Simy had an outstanding goal-scoring record in the Premier League this season.
Simy scored 20 goals for relegation-bound Crotone, who finished the season in 19th position, ranking him joint fifth in the overall scoring standings.
He surpassed Obafemi Martins as the Super Eagles’ all-time leading scorer in the Italian top-flight by breaking the record for goals scored by a Nigerian player in a single season in a major European league.
8) Wesley Fofana
What a season for Fofana, who arrived in English football and quickly established himself in the Leicester backline alongside Caglar Soyuncu and Jonny Evans.
Fofana was part of the FA Cup-winning team, demonstrating his abilities against Chelsea in the final. It could be a different story for the Foxes on the last day of the season if he weren’tPAtPPPthdrawn from the match against Spurs due to injury.
This summer, he was eligible for Mali but could not compete in the U-21 World Cup. After hurting his hamstring in the season’s final game, he competed in the European Championships for France.
7) Patson Daka
This season, the 22-year-old has emerged as one of European football’s hottest properties. Patson is also hailed as a possible solution for some of the continent’s most vexing problems.
Over the last two seasons, he’s scored 51 goals in the Austrian Bundesliga, and his movement off the ball and finishing skill suggest he’s on his way to the top.
6) Wilfred Ndidi
The Foxes aren’t the same without him, and the Nigerian finishes the season as the division’s most prolific tackler once again.
Only one Player, Liam Cooper of Leeds United, averaged more interceptions per game than the Super Eagle. He is also incredibly unlucky not to be playing in the Champions League next season.
5) Sadio Mane
Mane has undoubtedly fallen short of his high expectations this season, as evidenced by his not even making the top five Premier League Africans for the season.
He admitted that this was the worst season of his career and that his brief spat with Jurgen Klopp at the end of the season was one of the low points of his tenure in England.
4) Achraf Hakimi
With a fantastic season with Internazionale, he met—if not exceeded—preseason expectations and was duly rewarded with a Serie A winner’s gold.
Hakimi’s dynamism and energy down the right flank were a key asset for Antonio Conte’s side. He continued to establish himself as one of the best right-backs in the world game, assisting on 14 goals during the season.
Hakimi was crucial in the crucial games of the season, providing essential assists for the 1-0 victory over Cagliari and Hellas Verona in the run-in and scoring the second goal.
3) Mohamed Salah
Salah had a fantastic season despite Liverpool’s implosion, dismal championship defence, and media criticism.
Salah may have been beaten to the Golden Boot by Harry Kane on the season’s final day, but he still finished the year with 22 goals, the same number he had when he won the title in 2018-19.
Despite the Reds’ midfield implosion and the dip in Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, he generally maintained his excellent standards. He won the club’s Player of the Season title.
2) Edouard Mendy
Despite missing out on the top spot in the Power Ranking, Mendy finished the season as European champion after a fantastic continental campaign for Chelsea.
He played a crucial role in the Blues’ semi-final win over Real Madrid by holding Karim Benzema at bay and became the UCL debutant with the cleanest sheets in a single season in competition history.
He also performed admirably in the Premier League after taking over from the erratic Kepa Arrizabalaga.
1) Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez is a Moroccan footballer who plays for Real Madrid.
There had previously been doubts about Mahrez’s role in Manchester City’s triumph. The Algerian considered more decorative presence than an essential element of the Sky Blues’ achievements.
After City’s failings in the 2019-20 season, he had a lot to prove this season.
However, there can be no doubt about Mahrez’s contribution to their achievement this season, as the maestro has played a crucial role in the team’s triumph of 15 goals. He wins his third Premier League title—only Didier Drogba has won more! And, was brilliant in the Champions League semi-final as Paris Saint-Germain was eliminated.
So there you have it! The top 20 African Players to keep watching during AFCON
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