21 January 2011
We continue our series in the search to find the greatest African XI ever and this week we focus on the defenders.
You have sent in your nominations and together with our panel of experts, we have come up with the following 12 players who will compete for four places in our African XI.
So have a look through and make sure you vote for your favourite defenders!
THOPHILE ABEGA (CAMEROON)
Anega was part of the Cameroon side that played at the 1982 FIFA World Cup and captained the side to glory at the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations. He played much of his football at Cameroon outfit Canon Yaound, but also played for Toulouse in France.
TSHIMEN BWANGA (ZAIRE)
Bwanga won the 1973 African Footballer of the Year award while with TP Mazembe and during his playing days in the early and mid 1970s was nicknamed “The Black Beckenbauer”. He was also voted the IFFHS Player of the Century for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2000.
WAEL GOMAA (EGYPT)
Gomaa is till part of the Egyptian national side and has been a huge part of their tremendous success over the past decade. Now 35, the centre-back is still a key man for Cairo giants Al Ahly as well. In his career he has won three Africa Cup of Nations titles, four African Champions League titles and the Egyptian League on six occasions.
MAHMOUD GUENDOUZ (ALGERIA)
The centre-back was s stalwart of the Algerian national team during its greatest period on the world stage and appeared at the 1980 Olympics, as well as the FIFA World Cups in 1982 and 1986. As a club player he was largely based in his homeland, although he also appeared for FC Martigues in France.
STEPHEN KESHI (NIGERIA)
Keshi was a crucial player for Nigeria between 1983 and 1995. He was captain of the squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and played in five different African Nations Cup tournaments, helping to win the 1994 competition. He played in Belgium and France during his career.
SAMUEL KUFFOUR (GHANA)
Kuffour currently plays for Asante Kotoko in his homeland, ut is best remembered for a 10-year spell with German giants Bayern Munich, during which time he was one of the best defenders in Europe, winning the UEFA Champions League in 2001 and the German League on six occasions.
EMMANUEL KUNDE (CAMEROON)
Kunde spent the majority of his professional career playing for Canon Yaound, but was also a member of the Cameroon sides that competed at the FIFA World Cups of 1982 and 1990, and those which won the 1984 and 1988 Africa Cup of Nations. He was predominantly an old-fashioned sweeper.
MUDA LAWAL (NIGERIA)
A stalwart for Nigeria, Lawal appeared in five consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments between 1974 and 1984, winning in 1980. He played for Shooting Stars in his homeland, and died suddenly aged just 37 in 1991.
NOUREDDINE NAYBET (MOROCCO)
Naybet played 115 times for Morocco and was a stalwart of the successful Spanish la Liga side Deportivo la Coruna, where he won the League title. He also played in Europe for French side Nantes, Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon and English Premiership Tottenham Hotspur.
UCHE OKECHUKWU (NIGERIA)
Okechukwu played 71 times for Nigeria, winning the Arica Cup of Nations in 1994 and the 1996 Summer Olympics. He also represented the nation in two FIFA World Cups, 1994 and 1998. He played in Turkey for 13 years, mostly with giants Fenerbahe.
HANY RAMZY (EGYPT)
Ramzy made an astonishing 124 appearances for Egypt over a period of 15 years, playing at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. He also played in Europe, most notably with Werder Bremen and Kaiserslautern in the German Bundesliga. He was the first Egyptian player to play in the Bundesliga.
RIGOBERT SONG (CAMEROON)
Song enjoyed a successful 17-year career with Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002. He made 137 national team appearances in all, and also enjoyed a fantastic club career with the likes of Metz, Lens (both France), Liverpool, West Ham (both England) and Galatasaray.
21 January 2011
We continue our series in the search to find the greatest African XI ever and this week we focus on the defenders.
You have sent in your nominations and together with our panel of experts, we have come up with the following 12 players who will compete for four places in our African XI.
So have a look through and make sure you vote for your favourite defenders!
THOPHILE ABEGA (CAMEROON)
Anega was part of the Cameroon side that played at the 1982 FIFA World Cup and captained the side to glory at the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations. He played much of his football at Cameroon outfit Canon Yaound, but also played for Toulouse in France.
TSHIMEN BWANGA (ZAIRE)
Bwanga won the 1973 African Footballer of the Year award while with TP Mazembe and during his playing days in the early and mid 1970s was nicknamed “The Black Beckenbauer”. He was also voted the IFFHS Player of the Century for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2000.
WAEL GOMAA (EGYPT)
Gomaa is till part of the Egyptian national side and has been a huge part of their tremendous success over the past decade. Now 35, the centre-back is still a key man for Cairo giants Al Ahly as well. In his career he has won three Africa Cup of Nations titles, four African Champions League titles and the Egyptian League on six occasions.
MAHMOUD GUENDOUZ (ALGERIA)
The centre-back was s stalwart of the Algerian national team during its greatest period on the world stage and appeared at the 1980 Olympics, as well as the FIFA World Cups in 1982 and 1986. As a club player he was largely based in his homeland, although he also appeared for FC Martigues in France.
STEPHEN KESHI (NIGERIA)
Keshi was a crucial player for Nigeria between 1983 and 1995. He was captain of the squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and played in five different African Nations Cup tournaments, helping to win the 1994 competition. He played in Belgium and France during his career.
SAMUEL KUFFOUR (GHANA)
Kuffour currently plays for Asante Kotoko in his homeland, ut is best remembered for a 10-year spell with German giants Bayern Munich, during which time he was one of the best defenders in Europe, winning the UEFA Champions League in 2001 and the German League on six occasions.
EMMANUEL KUNDE (CAMEROON)
Kunde spent the majority of his professional career playing for Canon Yaound, but was also a member of the Cameroon sides that competed at the FIFA World Cups of 1982 and 1990, and those which won the 1984 and 1988 Africa Cup of Nations. He was predominantly an old-fashioned sweeper.
MUDA LAWAL (NIGERIA)
A stalwart for Nigeria, Lawal appeared in five consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments between 1974 and 1984, winning in 1980. He played for Shooting Stars in his homeland, and died suddenly aged just 37 in 1991.
NOUREDDINE NAYBET (MOROCCO)
Naybet played 115 times for Morocco and was a stalwart of the successful Spanish la Liga side Deportivo la Coruna, where he won the League title. He also played in Europe for French side Nantes, Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon and English Premiership Tottenham Hotspur.
UCHE OKECHUKWU (NIGERIA)
Okechukwu played 71 times for Nigeria, winning the Arica Cup of Nations in 1994 and the 1996 Summer Olympics. He also represented the nation in two FIFA World Cups, 1994 and 1998. He played in Turkey for 13 years, mostly with giants Fenerbahe.
HANY RAMZY (EGYPT)
Ramzy made an astonishing 124 appearances for Egypt over a period of 15 years, playing at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. He also played in Europe, most notably with Werder Bremen and Kaiserslautern in the German Bundesliga. He was the first Egyptian player to play in the Bundesliga.
RIGOBERT SONG (CAMEROON)
Song enjoyed a successful 17-year career with Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002. He made 137 national team appearances in all, and also enjoyed a fantastic club career with the likes of Metz, Lens (both France), Liverpool, West Ham (both England) and Galatasaray
21 January 2011
We continue our series in the search to find the greatest African XI ever and this week we focus on the defenders.
You have sent in your nominations and together with our panel of experts, we have come up with the following 12 players who will compete for four places in our African XI.
So have a look through and make sure you vote for your favourite defenders!
THOPHILE ABEGA (CAMEROON)
Anega was part of the Cameroon side that played at the 1982 FIFA World Cup and captained the side to glory at the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations. He played much of his football at Cameroon outfit Canon Yaound, but also played for Toulouse in France.
TSHIMEN BWANGA (ZAIRE)
Bwanga won the 1973 African Footballer of the Year award while with TP Mazembe and during his playing days in the early and mid 1970s was nicknamed “The Black Beckenbauer”. He was also voted the IFFHS Player of the Century for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2000.
WAEL GOMAA (EGYPT)
Gomaa is till part of the Egyptian national side and has been a huge part of their tremendous success over the past decade. Now 35, the centre-back is still a key man for Cairo giants Al Ahly as well. In his career he has won three Africa Cup of Nations titles, four African Champions League titles and the Egyptian League on six occasions.
MAHMOUD GUENDOUZ (ALGERIA)
The centre-back was s stalwart of the Algerian national team during its greatest period on the world stage and appeared at the 1980 Olympics, as well as the FIFA World Cups in 1982 and 1986. As a club player he was largely based in his homeland, although he also appeared for FC Martigues in France.
STEPHEN KESHI (NIGERIA)
Keshi was a crucial player for Nigeria between 1983 and 1995. He was captain of the squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and played in five different African Nations Cup tournaments, helping to win the 1994 competition. He played in Belgium and France during his career.
SAMUEL KUFFOUR (GHANA)
Kuffour currently plays for Asante Kotoko in his homeland, ut is best remembered for a 10-year spell with German giants Bayern Munich, during which time he was one of the best defenders in Europe, winning the UEFA Champions League in 2001 and the German League on six occasions.
EMMANUEL KUNDE (CAMEROON)
Kunde spent the majority of his professional career playing for Canon Yaound, but was also a member of the Cameroon sides that competed at the FIFA World Cups of 1982 and 1990, and those which won the 1984 and 1988 Africa Cup of Nations. He was predominantly an old-fashioned sweeper.
MUDA LAWAL (NIGERIA)
A stalwart for Nigeria, Lawal appeared in five consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments between 1974 and 1984, winning in 1980. He played for Shooting Stars in his homeland, and died suddenly aged just 37 in 1991.
NOUREDDINE NAYBET (MOROCCO)
Naybet played 115 times for Morocco and was a stalwart of the successful Spanish la Liga side Deportivo la Coruna, where he won the League title. He also played in Europe for French side Nantes, Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon and English Premiership Tottenham Hotspur.
UCHE OKECHUKWU (NIGERIA)
Okechukwu played 71 times for Nigeria, winning the Arica Cup of Nations in 1994 and the 1996 Summer Olympics. He also represented the nation in two FIFA World Cups, 1994 and 1998. He played in Turkey for 13 years, mostly with giants Fenerbahe.
HANY RAMZY (EGYPT)
Ramzy made an astonishing 124 appearances for Egypt over a period of 15 years, playing at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. He also played in Europe, most notably with Werder Bremen and Kaiserslautern in the German Bundesliga. He was the first Egyptian player to play in the Bundesliga.
RIGOBERT SONG (CAMEROON)
Song enjoyed a successful 17-year career with Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002. He made 137 national team appearances in all, and also enjoyed a fantastic club career with the likes of Metz, Lens (both France), Liverpool, West Ham (both England) and Galatasaray.
