The highly reputable publication announced its annual selection on Wednesday, January 2 with a refreshing list of Africa’s next superstars that many people outside of the related leagues may not yet know about
Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are named in the first XI but unnexpectedly omitting Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.
With Arsenal and Gabonese forward Aubameyang sitting joint-top as the English Premier League’s scorers chart, it is perhaps a shocking overlook, however, Gabon’s absence at the recent 2018 World Cup surely counted against the 29-year-old.
France Football’s 2018 African XI:
Goalkeeper
Andre Onana – Cameroon, Ajax
Defenders
Yousef Atal – Algeria, Nice
Kalidou Koulibaly – Senegal, Napoli
Manu Da Costa – Morocco, Istanbul
Achraf Hakimi – Morocco, Dortmund
Midfielders
Thomas Partey – Ghana, Atletico Madrid
Wilfred Ndidi – Nigeria, Leicester City
Hakim Ziyech – Morocco, Ajax
Forwards
Riyad Mahrez – Algeria, Man City
Sadio Mane – Senegal, Liverpool
Mohamed Salah – Egypt, Liverpool
SUBSTITUTES:
Samatta (Tanzania, Genk), Gana Gueye (Sénégal, Everton), Pépé (Côte d’Ivoire, Lille), Aubameyang (Gabon, Arsenal), Bounou (Morocco, Girona), Badri (Tunisia, Espérance), Toko Ekambi (Cameroon, Villarreal).