The three-time African champions do not have a representative in the team of the tournament after crashing out in the round of 16
CAF has released its starting xi and the team of the tournament for the just-concluded 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, but there is no Nigerian player in the squad.
The Super Eagles were the best team of the group stages after winning all of their three matches with a combined six goals scored and one conceded.
However, their round of 16 exit after a 1-0 loss to Tunisia meant it would have been difficult for any of their players to be included in the team of the tournament.
Players like Moses Simon and Joe Aribo were some of Nigeria’s best players in the group stages, but it was not enough to earn them a spot.
The AFCON 2021 starting XI was dominated by the four semifinalists, with only Morocco the only nation not to reach the semifinals having a representative.
Not your average players 🤩
Here is the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 best XI 👇#AFCON2021 pic.twitter.com/YP0k5eUe2n
— #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 🏆 (@CAF_Online) February 7, 2022
Champions, Senegal, have the most representatives (4), including golden glove winner Edouard Mendy and the tournament’s Most Valuable player Sadio Mane.
Nancy left-back Saliou Ciss and Leicester City’s midfielder Nampalys Mendy are also included. Runners-up Egypt have three representatives, with their captain Mohamed Salah included alongside Mohamed Eleny and Mohamed Abdelmonem.
Hosts, Cameroon have just one representative, and it is no other person than the tournament’s top scorer Vincent Aboubakar.
Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi takes up the right-back position while Burkina Faso are represented by Ibrahim Toure and Edmond Tapsoba.
