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Rabat – Four Moroccan players featured in football outlet Foot Mercato’s African XI of the year, which highlighted this year’s breakout and best-performing African football stars.
Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was named the African team of the year’s goalkeeper, after he helped his national team reach the 2022 World Cup semi-finals and came in 13th in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Additionally, the Atlas Lion was also instrumental in his club Sevilla winning the Europa League trophy for a seventh time against Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma.
Bounou moved to Saudi Arabia in the summer to play for Al Hilal, and he has since quickly imposed himself as the tournament’s best goalkeeper with the fewest goals conceded by far — nine in 18 games.
Foot Mercato also included Nayef Aguerd in their team, who made a name for himself last year with West Ham United.
Despite a rough season in the Premier League, Aguerd and his teammates won the Europa Conference League, the first European trophy in the club’s history, and are currently having an impressive season, finishing top of their Europa League group and vying for the Premier League’s European spots.
Aguerd has been a nailed-on starter for the Hammers, and continues to be very popular among the fans and manager David Moyes.
Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi was another unsurprising inclusion, being one of the best players in the world in his position and playing a vital role in helping PSG win the Ligue 1 title last year.
He has also flourished under Spanish coach Luis Enrique this season, registering four goals and four assists so far.
Finally, the team included Sofyan Amrabat, who captured the world’s attention during the 2022 World Cup with his coverage of the pitch and defensive solidity.
The commanding defensive midfielder would also go on to help Fiorentina reach the Conference League and Coppa Italia finals. Despite a rough start to the season with his new club Manchester United, the Moroccan midfielder’s 2023 was still a good year, Foot Mercato argued.
The African XI also included Ivorian Odilon Kossounou, Burkinabe Edmond Tapsoba, Ghana’s Mohamed Kudus, and Cameroonian Zambo Anguissa.
In the attack, the outlet included Algerian Riyad Mahrez, Egyptian Mohamed Salah, and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen.
Foot Mercato also included several players on its team’s “bench,” including Morocco’s Youssef En-Nesyri and Bilal El Khannous.
