Super Eagles trio, William Troost-Ekong, Ademola Lookman and Ola Aina, have been included in the CAF Best XI of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, while reigning CAF Player of The Year, Victor Osimhen was visibly missing from the list.
Despite being one of Nigeria’s most outstanding players at the AFCON, where he had a hand in four of the Eagles eight goals (scored once, provided an assist and won two penalties) at the tournament, Osimhen was excluded from the Confederation of African Football AFCON XI.
The Technical Study Group of the Confederation of African Football released the line-up on Wednesday, four days after the final of the tournament. The hosts won their third title with a 2-1 win over Nigeria at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Sunday.
Nigeria and Ivory Coast dominated the team with three players each, while South Africa had two as well as two others from DR Congo.
South Africa goalkeeper, Rowen Williams, the best goalkeeper of the tournament, was named in goal for the Best XI in a 4-3-3 formation.
Troost-Ekong, who featured in all but one of Nigeria’s games is the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, following his commanding display for the Eagles. He is joined at the heart of the defence by DR Congo captain, Chancel Mbemba, while Nigeria’s flying fullback, Ola Aina, was put on the right side of the four-man defence with Ivory Coast’s Ghislain Konan on the left.
In midfield, South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena and Jean Michael-Seri of Ivory Coast form a double pivot with Frank Kessie, also of Ivory Coast, in front of them.
The three-man attack is led by tournament’s goal scorer and Equatorial Guinea captain, Emilio Nsue. Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, who scored three goals, is on the left with the other DR Congo representative in the team, Yoane Wissa, on the right.
Ivory Coast coach, Emerse Fae, who led the hosts from the brink of exit to glory after the sacking of Jean-Louis Gasset, is the coach of the tournament and the CAF Best XI.