Michael Essien snubs Asamoah Gyan in team of the decade

The decade under consideration covers 2010 to 2019.

Vincent Enyeama

Michael Essien's team of the decade Pulse Ghana

The former Super Eagles goalkeeper has made a great impact in the game for the past ten years. He has been impressive. He kept 11 clean sheets in French football and was115 minutes away from beating Ligue 1's all-time record of minutes-of-clean-sheets set by Gaetan Huard in 1993 where he played 1,176 minutes without conceding a goal.

Enyeama kept the post for Nigeria as they won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and was key as Nigeria qualified from the group stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup staged in Brazil.

Kolo Toure

Liverpool's Kolo Toure in action with Stoke's Jonathan Walters Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine Livepic Reuters

The former Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool defender was selected as part of the four-man defence.

Kolo Toure has paid his dues to both club and country. He was part of the Arsenals team that went unbeaten to win the English Premier League, but he helped Ivory Coast to win the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Defence - Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Cameroon)

Michael Essien's team of the decade Pulse Ghana

The former Cameroon international was solid in defence for Tottenham Hotspur and Cameroon.

He played as a full-back in the English Premier League.

Defence - Medhi Benatia (Morocco)

The Moroccan established himself as a world-class defender at AS Roma and attracted offers from Bayern Munich for his signature.

He struggled to find his feet in the Bundesliga and was transferred to Juventus, where he helped them win three Italian Serie A titles.

Defence - Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal/Napoli)

Michael Essien's team of the decade Pulse Ghana

The Napoli defender is currently the finest defender on the African continent.

His reading of the game and interceptions has made him the favourite of several coaches in Europe.

Kalidou Koulibaly played a key role as Senegal reached the final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations

Midfield - Michael Essien (Ghana)

Michael Essien was a mainstay in Jose Mourinho's Chelsea Pulse Ghana

The bison as he is affectionately called named himself to be in the middle of the park for his team of the decade.

Although Essien was at the twilight of his career within the past decade, the Ghanaian won the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

Midfield - Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast)

Michael Essien's team of the decade Pulse Ghana

Yaya Toure has been the biggest thing in African football for the past ten years, having dominated the African Footballer of the Year- won it four consecutive occasions.

He also won the English Premier League and captained the Ivorians to win the African Footballer of the Year in 2015.

Midfield - Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool)

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The Senegalese dangerman was drafted in midfield in Essien’s team of the decade.

He has formed a good partnership with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firminho. They formed a very strong attacking force and contribution saw Liverpool win the UEFA Champions League.

Just this season the Reds have taken more than ten points lead at the summit of the Premier League and they are in pole position to winning the EPL

Sadio Mane recently inspired Senegal to the final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)

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The man nicknamed the King of Egypt due to the great impact, he has made in Egyptian and African Football.

In the past two years, Mohamed Salah has been named the African Footballer of the Year and he has won a back to back English Premier League goal king.

He was also instrumental as Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League last season, scoring in the final.

Forward - Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

Didier Drogba quitting football to become Chelsea assistant coach ece-auto-gen

Essien named his former teammate Didier Drogba in his team of the decade.

Didier Drogba won the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. He won the Premier League top scorer.

However, at the national team level, he missed out on silverware. He captained Ivory Coast as they reached the final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, yet he even threw away his penalty kick against Zambia in the final.

Forward - Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)

Samuel Eto Fils Pulse Ghana

Samuel Eto, four-times African Footballer of the Year had a great career.

2010 was a remarkable year for the Cameroonian, he won the UEFA Champions League League, Serie A and Italian Cup- Inter Milan became the first Italian side to win a historic treble.

Samuel Eto’s is a tormentor in chief, combining good finishing with dribbles.