The 2022-2023 season was a banner one for Africans. Many of them shone in the four corners of Europe, as well as at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Sport News Africa presents its African 11 of the season, organised in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The big absentee is Sadio Mané, who missed both the World Cup and his season with Bayern.
André Onana
19. That's the number of times André Onana has kept a clean sheet this season. A statistic that demonstrates the excellent season achieved by the Cameroonian keeper. In the Champions League, he has gone 8 games without conceding a goal. No other goalkeeper has done that. It is largely thanks to the Cameroonian that Inter have managed to reach the final of the competition, with the aim of beating Manchester City on Saturday 10 June. It should also be noted that Onana was competing for the position of goalkeeper in this season's African XI with Morocco's Yassine Bounou, who reached the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup? with Morocco and won the Europa League with Sevilla.
Achraf Hakimi
Achraf Hakimi may have been less impressive with PSG, but he is still Africa's best right-back. With Les Franciliens, the Real Madrid-trained player has five goals and five assists to his name in 2022-2023. His greatest achievement, however, was at the 2022 World Cup, where he played on all fronts with the Atlas Lions.
Chancel Mbemba
The best African player in Ligue 1. Winner of the Marc-Vivien Foé award, "demi-god" as he is nicknamed has had an outstanding season with Olympique de Marseille. Solid as a rock, generous with his efforts, but also a goalscorer at key moments in the season. In fact, with 7 goals, he finished as Marseille's second-highest scorer of the season. He is undoubtedly the best African defender of the 2022-2023 season in the various European leagues.
Nayef Aguerd
Nayef Aguerd's ankle injury in the off-season had raised doubts. But the left-footed player is back to his best. First with West Ham, who recruited him from Rennes, and then at the 2022 World Cup, where he was quite simply exceptional. With 29 games, 27 of them as a starter, his first season in England was more than a success. In the Europa Conference League (7 starts), the former Stade Rennais man guided his side to the final. The final takes place this Wednesday 07 June against Fiorentina. This could be the Moroccan's first European trophy.
Ramy Bensebaïni
Africa has a poor supply of left-backs. One of the few players to put in consistently good performances is Ramy Bensebaïni. Once again this season, the Algerian has made his mark with Borussia Mönchengladbach. His Bundesliga record: 6 goals and 1 assist from 28 starts. This enabled him to sign for the other Borussia, Dortmund. It should be noted that Bensebaïni is benefiting from the injury suffered by Reinildo (Atletico) in February, who would have been in this XI had he finished the season.
Zambo Anguissa
After a brilliant season last time out, Zambo Anguissa has lived up to expectations at Napoli. The Cameroonian midfielder has been monstrous, whether it be in his ability to recover, cover space or get forward. 36 league starts, 3 goals and 5 assists. His most prolific season of his career. And to top it all off, the Italian league title. To think that some people made fun of him when he was starting out with Olympique de Marseille...
Thomas Partey
With Arsenal, Thomas Partey was at the top of his game for most of the season. Leading the Premier League until March, the Gunners finally succumbed to the Manchester City steamroller. However, the Londoners finished 2nd and will now return to the Champions League for the first time in six years. One of Mikel Arteta's key men was Thomas Partey. The Ghanaian played 33 league games, including 28 starts. This was his chance to score 3 goals.
Why was he preferred to Sofyan Amrabat? For his ability to control and guide his team's play, given that he was trained as a playmaker and he scored a couple of stunning goals this season for Arsenal.
Mohamed Kudus
Ghana's revelation of the season. Mohamed Kudus has outshone his rivals with Ajax (16 goals and 5 assists in 38 games). The 22-year-old also shone at the 2022 World Cup, scoring 2 goals. His performances have not gone unnoticed by Sport News Africa, who have included him in this season's eleven. Scouts are also keeping an eye on him, with Liverpool in particular keen to sign him. Stay tuned.
Mohamed Salah
At the Reds, Kudus could be reunited with a certain Pharaoh who remains as decisive as ever. Liverpool may have finished 5th in the Premier League, but Mohamed Salah has shone. The Egyptian scored a whopping 30 goals and provided 16 assists, equalling his record for most goals and assists in a single season since joining the Merseyside club. Unfortunately for the No11, his team-mates were unable to keep pace.
Iliman Ndiaye
He may have played in the Championship. But Iliman Ndiaye was a real star. The Starboy led his side to promotion to the Premier League with 14 goals and 11 assists. His performances also earned him a place in Senegal's squad for the 2022 World Cup. Next season, in the top flight, he will be one of the players to watch. Unless, that is, he goes and fulfils his potential at a more prestigious club...
Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen is the top scorer in Serie A this season, with 26 goals. The first African to win this title. He helped Napoli win the Scudetto for the first time since 1990. He is also the first player in 14 years to finish as both Italian champion and Calcio's top scorer. The last person to do so was a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Proof that the striker is inevitably a starter in this season's African XI. What's more, his name is on everyone's lips, given that a number of big clubs are looking for a striker this summer.
They could have made the starting XI
Edmond Tabsoba (Leverkusen, Burkina Faso), Seko Fofana (Lens, Côte d'Ivoire), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina, Morocco), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal, Nigeria), Reinildo (Atletico, Mozambique), Habib Diallo (Strasbourg, Senegal), Boulaye Dia (Salernitana, Senegal),
