The continent’s best eleven have been announced at this year’s CAF awards, and the trio that made the final shortlist for the Men’s Player of the Year award—Victor Osimhen, Andre Onana, and Mohamed Salah—all made the star-studded list.
The list comprises two Cameroonians, one Congolese, one Egyptian, two Ghanaians, two Moroccans, two Senegalese, and Osimhen as the sole representative for Nigeria.
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— CAF (@CAF_Online) December 11, 2023
Osimhen, who has been crowned the Men’s African Footballer of the Year, is joined in the attack by Egyptian forward Salah and two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane.
In the middle of the pack, Ghanaian duo Thomas Partey and Mohammed Kudus are joined by Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon) and Moroccan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat in a midfield four.
The selection panel went for a back three, with the experienced Kalidou Koulibaly of Senegal leading the line, along with Chancel Mbemba and Achraf Hakimi of Morocco.
The biggest surprise came in the goalkeeper’s selection, as Cameroon and Manchester United shot-stopper Andre Onana made the cut ahead of Morocco’s Yassine Bono, who pipped Onana to win the Goalkeeper of the Year award.
FULL LIST OF CAF’S BEST XI
Goalkeeper: Andre Onana (Cameroon)
Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal); Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Midfielders: Thomas Partey and Mohammed Kudus (Ghana); Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon); Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco)
Forwards: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria); Mohamed Salah (Egypt); Sadio Mane (Senegal)
