Africans in European football: the best of 2010-2011?
It's been another momentous year for African footballers, with players from the continent involved in title-winning sides in Spain, Italy, France and Germany. Others have won a domestic cup, although the biggest trophy on offer ended up in the hands of Mali's Seydou Keita after his on Saturday.
It's been quite a challenge selecting a best African XI for the 2010-2011 European season. It would have been much easier to play four or five up front (given the performances of some African strikers this year), but in a loose 4-3-1-2 formation here's my pick of the best for what's been an enthralling season.
Goalkeeper - Carlos Kameni (Espanyol/Cameroon):
The easiest choice of the lot. African keepers are in short supply in Europe's top leagues, with Richard Kingson - who had his ups and downs - only getting an extended run here in England after Blackpool's regular stopper was injured. Meanwhile, Kameni enjoyed a fine season with Espanyol, making a number of crucial saves which helped his team to their highest La Liga finish since his debut season with the club in 2004/2005.
Born in Wimbledon, my enthusiasm for the global game was already sizeable before the tragic demise of the boys from SW19. Having covered football in over 50 countries, I've been working in the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s African sports section since the early noughties, recently spending three years in Africa to report on the run-up to the continent's first World Cup.
