With the World Cup over, we mustn’t forget the impact African teams and their players had on this memorable tournament. So below is my 2026 Africa best 11 of the tournament.
Vozinha (Cabo Verde, GK)
It was pretty clear it was going to be him at the goalkeeper spot. He had 2 clean sheets in four games, and his stellar performances came against the World Cup finalists in Spain and Argentina. Vozinha not only made a name for himself, but his performances contributed to elevating Cabo Verde football. The 40-year old, one of the oldest players in the tournament, became the most followed goalkeeper on Instagram. Morocco’s Yassine Bounou was also a great shout, but Vozinha’s impact to Cabo Verde football deserves recognition.
Khuliso Mudau (South Africa, RCB)
The CAF Champions League winner was steady in defense. But he also showcased his talent in attack as well with his skill on the ball. South Africa grew in the tournament and so did Mudau’s performances. He also had one of the memes of the tournament following the referee’s decision to send off a player. Against Canada in the Round of 32, he was toying with them at times with his confidence on the ball. I could have placed him at the wingback position in my formation, but decided to put him as a right-sided central defender. He helped Bafana Bafana earn their first knockout stage appearance, and for that, he deserves inclusion in the team.
Roberto “Pico” Lopes (Cabo Verde, CB)
I told people that the match against Spain for Cabo Verde was not a fluke. They can defend, and they’ve demonstrated their defensive stability in their last 20 or so games leading up to the World Cup. And Lopes and Diney Borges were at the heart of it. I was torn over who to pick between Lopes and Borges, but ultimately decided against the former mainly for his performances in the Argentina game. What a game for someone who is 5’9”. His clearance in the 81st minute looked certain to be an own goal, but it defied many things.
Mbekezeli Mbokazi (South Africa, LCB)
From one short central defender to another. Mbokazi was covering a ton of ground. I was surprised to hear he was only 5’9” because you don’t really notice his height when playing. What’s even more surprising is his only 20 years old. He certainly plays like a 6’2” central defender with his command of the back line. He’s strong and stout and technically skilled on the ball with his passing. The South Korea match was probably one of my favorite games of the tournament, mainly because of the defensive presence he exhibited. He was everywhere. And he can shoot from distance as well. The left-footed central defender has a bright future ahead.
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, RM)
The Moroccan captain was a consistent threat on the right side of the field for the Atlas Lions, as per usual. From his position as a wingback, he had the second most chances created with 17 (tied with Leandro Trossard and behind Lionel Messi’s 25). He has the most goal contributions of any “defender” in the World Cup with 2 assists and 1 goal (and “defender” is in quotes because he appears in many attacking positions throughout a match as a right mid and right winger). That’s why I have him in the right mid/wingback position in this formation.
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco, CM)
The other standout Moroccan was a calm, composed 18-year-old holding midfielder in Bouaddi. When I saw him against Brazil in the first group game, I noticed something different about him that stood out but I couldn’t quite identify what it was. But as I watched him more, I was able to understand. He, for one, covers a ton of ground on the field. He can chase down an attacker, as he was responsible for marking Canada’s Ali Ahmed when he would run down the left channel. And Bouaddi places himself in the right defensive positions to block a shot or intercept a pass. I didn’t quite understand the hype of this player before the tournament. But now I do.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt, CM)
I put him in the midfield in my formation, with the license to float, and that’s how he was primarily utilized throughout the tournament — through the middle as opposed to cutting in from the right. And that, I’d say, was kind of refreshing to see. Maybe that’s how he should be deployed in the future once he finds his next club. He had a slow start to the tournament, but he picked it up as the team advanced through the group stage. It started with the last group game against New Zealand where he scored the goal to give Egypt the lead and provided the assist to seal the game and essentially put them to the next round of the World Cup. In the Round of 32, Salah was threatening the entire match and converted his penalty against Australia to advance to the Round of 16. Let’s not talk about that Argentina game…too soon.
Yan Diomande (Côte d’Ivoire, LM)
This 19-year old winger was another play I didn’t understand the hype around and why Liverpool were trying to acquire him. But I understood, quickly. In the opening match against Ecuador, he cooked Piero Hincapié so many times, and I couldn’t shake the fact he embarrassed the Ecuadorian left back so many times. Nobody repeatedly dribbles past Hincapié in the same match (my Arsenal bias may be showing here). I like any winger that is direct and doesn’t shy away from going at their defender with the intention to beat them. That is Diomande. He played so well, he kept Amad Diallo on the bench.
Ismael Saibari (Morocco, RW)
I can’t think about Saibari without seeing the image of him preventing the third string goalkeeper from handing Edouard Mendy a towel during the AFCON final. But putting that aside, he was great for Morocco, scoring in the first three games of the tournament and scoring the winning penalty against the Netherlands before missing the France quarterfinal due to injury.
Ismaila Sarr (Senegal, LW)
Senegal underperformed this World Cup, which was disappointing. There weren’t a lot of players that consistently showed up. Pape Gueye had the one game against Iraq but that was it. Ismaila Sarr was a nonfactor in the first game against France, but he showed up against Norway with two goals. The moment Senegal manager Pape Thiaw put Sarr in the striker role in the Iraq game in place of Nicholas Jackson, that’s where I thought he was most effective. I wish he made that move sooner, because Jackson wasn’t cutting it at the striker role. Belgium, he provided some great moments. That’s all I can muster about that Belgium match. That, too, is painful to talk about.
Yoane Wissa (Democratic Republic of Congo, ST)
The Newcastle United striker had a terrible debut season with his new club. But when Alisson Becker said he was preparing for the World Cup while out injured for Liverpool, some could say Wissa was doing the same. Wissa made history for Les Léopards. He scored their first ever goal in World Cup history (against Portugal, I might add). He also scored the two goals that took the Democratic Republic of Congo to their first ever knockout stage appearance. Scoring 60% of your team’s World Cup goals shows how critical you are to the team. And Wissa was essential.
Honorable Mentions
Yassine Bounou (GK, Morocco), Benjamin Asare (GK, Ghana), Chancel Mbemba (CB, Democratic of Congo), Axel Tuanzebe (CB, Democratic Republic of Congo), Rafik Belghali (RB, Algeria), Marwan Attiya (CM, Egypt), Emam Ashour (CM/CAM, Egypt), Riyad Mahrez (RW, Algeria), Amad Diallo (RW, Côte d’Ivoire)
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