five Africans who shone in Europe this season

The main European football championships ended on the weekend of May 22 and 23. Several Africans shone during this special 2020-2021 season. From England to Spain via Italy, Turkey and Belgium, focus on five players who have particularly marked the spirits, while waiting for Europe to switch to the final phase of Euro 2021, from June 11 to July 11.

Riyad Mahrez in Manchester City

Riyad Mahrez (right) in a game against Brighton on May 18, 2021.

Manchester City could, in case of victory in the final of the Champions League against Chelsea, on May 29 in Porto, achieve a resounding hat-trick. The Citizens have already won the English Championship and the League Cup, and Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez (30) has played his part in this success. The 2019 African champion has scored nine goals (including three in a match against Burnley in November 2020) and six assists in the Premier League. His trainer, the Spaniard Pep Guardiola, apostle of the beautiful game, made it one of his main assets. Mixture of elegance and technique, influential in the game, the native of Sarcelles also distinguished himself in the Champions League, especially in the semi-finals against Paris-Saint-Germain (2-1, 2-0): the Francilien, a Marseille supporter when he was little, scored three of his team’s four goals.

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Youssef En-Nesyri at Sevilla FC

Youssef En-Nesyri (left) during a match against Vigo, April 12, 2021.

A striker who scores 24 goals in 51 games in all competitions inevitably attracts some envy. But despite the offensive of several English clubs, including Tottenham or West Ham, ready to pay 70 million euros for him, Youssef En-Nesyri (23) has decided to stay in Andalusia for at least one more season. The Moroccan is sure to play in the Champions League in 2021-2022 and he appreciates the quality of life in southern Spain. Youssef En-Nesyri is a pure product of Moroccan training, since he was trained at the Mohammed-VI Football Academy before joining Malaga in 2016. Since his arrival in Europe, he has continued to progress, to tweak your stats… and boost its market value.

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Franck Kessié at AC Milan

Franck Kessié (right) during a match against Lazio de Rome, April 26, 2021.

After seven years of absence in the Champions League, AC Milan will make its comeback next season, thanks to its second place in the Italian championship behind Inter Milan, its eternal rival. The Lombard club owes it in part to its midfielder, Franck Kessié (24). Part of the Ivorian selection, he is also at AC Milan. The Elephant was thus the most used player of the season by Stefano Pioli, his trainer. He was also the club’s second top scorer in Serie A with thirteen goals, behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Since joining the Rossoneri in 2017 from Atalanta Bergamo, Franck Kessié has continued to assert himself. And for the anecdote, it is against the club which gave him his chance in Europe that he scored his last two goals of the season (2-0) …

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Rachid Ghezzal at Besiktas

Rachid Ghezzal (center) during a match against Galatasaray on May 8, 2021.

On loan from Leicester City to Besiktas, Rachid Ghezzal (29) should not regret his exile in Istanbul. Rather than spending part of his time on the sidelines of the English club, the Algerian international has had a brilliant season. With his club, he won the Turkish Cup and especially the national championship against Istanbul’s great rival Galatasaray. Rachid Ghezzal also scored the title goal on the last day. In addition to this decisive achievement, the Lyon-trained player scored seven other goals and provided 17 assists. Either direct or indirect involvement on 25 goals in just 31 games played.

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Dieumerci Mbokani at Royal Antwerp

Dieumerci Mbokani (right) during a match against Tottenham, October 29, 2020.

At 35, Dieumerci Mbokani succeeded in 2021 one of the best seasons of his long career. Certainly, Royal Antwerp left FC Bruges the title of Belgian champion. But with his fourteen goals, the Congolese striker (DRC), former scorer of TP Mazembe, marked the spirits. Returning to Belgium in 2018 after more or less convincing trips to France, Germany, Ukraine and England, Dieumerci Mbokani silenced those who saw him as a pre-retired who had chosen Antwerp for a last lap. His European career had started in 2006 in Anderlecht, but it was in Liège that he had revealed himself between 2007 and 2010, before returning to Anderlecht from 2011 to 2013. At the end of his contract on June 30, he could stay at Antwerp. But Anderlecht is seriously considering a second comeback.