₦airaland Forum

Welcome, Guest: RegisterLoginWith GoogleTrendingRecentNew

Stats: 3,325,517 members, 8,422,412 topics. Date: Monday, 08 June 2026 at 09:47 AM

Toggle theme

Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? - Sports (3) - Nairaland

Nairaland ForumEntertainmentSportsAfrica All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? (18907 Views)

1 2 3 4 5 Reply (Go Down)

Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Shikena(m): 4:32pm On Aug 06, 2025
PulaPower:
Your opinion bro..
Sorry bro if it doesn't sit well with you, you can always check the stats.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by yummy001:
Love800:
Joke!

Eto is the best and more innovative and digital(striker qualities) than him.

Plus influnce in the african football world both on pitch and off-pitch, eto is ahead of him.

Don't even talk of George weah. If you watch that guy highlight, you will be wowed!
Even ronaldo delima nazario said george weah was one of his football model!

Drogba still dey learn work!
I am a big fan of Drogba but it is highly disrespectful to even place Drogba in a conversation where Etoo is being mentioned..

Apart from being the only African to win the Champions' league thrice with 2 different European clubs.. He is also the only African footballer to have won African best a whooping 4 times..

Aside that, he is currently the all time highest goal scorer at Afcon with 18 goals. And lastly, the only African footballer ever to have made the top 3 best players in the world for the Ballon Dor aside George Weah when he finished 3rd behind Ronaldinho and Lampard in 2005.

Give the legend his flowers.. I repeat it is highly disrespectful to compare Drogba to such a player.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Shikena(m): 4:36pm On Aug 06, 2025
Thank you, I have asked one of them to look at the statistics to avoid beer parlour debate grin

yummy001:
I am a big fan of Drogba but it is highly to disrespectful to even place Drogba in a conversation where Etoo is being mentioned..

Apart from the being the only African to win the Champions' league thrice with 3 different European clubs.. He is also the only African footballer to have won African best a whooping 4 times.. And lastly, the only African footballer ever to have ever made the top 3 best players of the world for the Ballon Dor aside George Weah when he finished 3rd behind Ronaldinho and Lampard in 2005.

Give the legend his flowers.. I repeat it is highly disrespectful to compare Drogba to such a player.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by franchasng: 4:39pm On Aug 06, 2025
No Didie Drogba?

No Kanu Nwankwo?

Odiegwu oh shocked cheesy


Remove: Essien, K. Toure, Bono and Asamoa Gyang and put:


Kanu Nwankwo
Didier Drogba

Jay Jay Okocha (unless it's based on those that won African footballer of the year?
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Kaido: 4:40pm On Aug 06, 2025
oviexcels:
The only African footballer that was the world best as at that time to play as sub in a list with just one second runner up
Forgive me, I like Drogba grin
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Jeezuzpick(m): 4:41pm On Aug 06, 2025
obembet:
I picked this Based on historical achievement only (e.g., trophies, impact, recognition and Balanced by position GK, defenders, midfielders, forwards like a real starting 11.

Without been bias, Which player is missing here?

Photo credit - formula
No Okocha on the list means the list is biased!

Ask Eto'o and Weah themselves and see if they will not include Jay-Jay on that list.

Haba!
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by freeman67: 4:43pm On Aug 06, 2025
No Drogba, No Okocha, No Kanu. Enyeama too is missing.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by yummy001: 4:43pm On Aug 06, 2025
Shikena:
Thank you, I have asked one of them to look at the statistics to avoid beer parlour debate grin
Based on statistics, any best African Xi of all time that is based on merit will always pick Etoo first before considering 10 other positions..Yea..The gap is that huge..
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by gulfer: 4:45pm On Aug 06, 2025
List is subjective and reflective of your bias and prolly your era of awareness......
So many goalkeepers that were better than Bonou; thankfully your list is your wishlist and everyone's got their own opinion undecided undecided undecided undecided undecided

Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by aribisala0(m): 4:45pm On Aug 06, 2025
yummy001:
Based on statistics, any best African Xi of all time that is based on merit will always pick Etoo first before considering 10 other positions..Yea..The gap is that huge..
What statistics exactly?
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by MichaelSokoto(m): 4:46pm On Aug 06, 2025
iampeterben:
No Okocha, no Amokachi, no Papilo? Who do this list, no even Mikel Obi?
if dem dey call players, abeg do well next time not to mention mikel again!

pesin wey no dey fit do zaizai for supa chicken?

angry
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by NotGej: 4:46pm On Aug 06, 2025
Taribo West
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Echo50(m): 4:46pm On Aug 06, 2025
obembet:
I picked this Based on historical achievement only (e.g., trophies, impact, recognition and Balanced by position GK, defenders, midfielders, forwards like a real starting 11.

Without been bias, Which player is missing here?

Photo credit - formula
Omocha.


Even the stated players are aware
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by perdollar(m): 4:48pm On Aug 06, 2025
My formation is 433
GK: Vincent Enyeama
LB: Celestine Babayaro
CB1: Taribo West
CB2: Uchechukwu Okechukwu
RB: Hakimi
DM: Mikel Obi
CM: JJ Okocha
AM: Kanu Nwankwo
LW: Samuel Eto
RW: George Weah
S: Didier Drogba
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Christlike01: 4:50pm On Aug 06, 2025
Africa all time XI and no Nigerian player is there — just dey play!
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by mecuries(m): 4:51pm On Aug 06, 2025
ericmor:
No mind them. Na that him dribbling Dey deceive them
all dribbling and no end product.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by D00msDay(m): 4:56pm On Aug 06, 2025
APOPTOSIS:
Indomie pikin noted.
Imagine removing WEAH
Hahahahahah. grin grin Boss I no say make them remove Weah oo. I just say Drogba need to they the list. Maybe we go run 4-3-3 formation. grin grin

Modified: 4-3-3 no go work. Make we keep Drogba as super sub. grin grin
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Love800(m): 4:56pm On Aug 06, 2025
Thanks so much for this good writeup.

Its absurd and abnormal to start putting drogba ahead of eto. Just imagine!

I love drogba more than eto'o too. But sincerely and generally speaking, eto'o will forever top drogba in football.

The guy was too much!
yummy001:
I am a big fan of Drogba but it is highly to disrespectful to even place Drogba in a conversation where Etoo is being mentioned..

Apart from being the only African to win the Champions' league thrice with 3 different European clubs.. He is also the only African footballer to have won African best a whooping 4 times.. And lastly, the only African footballer ever to have made the top 3 best players in the world for the Ballon Dor aside George Weah when he finished 3rd behind Ronaldinho and Lampard in 2005.

Give the legend his flowers.. I repeat it is highly disrespectful to compare Drogba to such a player.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Rexymania(m): 4:57pm On Aug 06, 2025
D00msDay:
Michael Essien is good, but i'll rather play Jay Jay in his position.
I didn't watch G.Weah play, thus, I can't say much but Drogba needs to be on the list.
Bono is also good but I prefer Essam El-Hadary of Egypt.
Eyaema is the best goalie in Africa
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by yummy001: 4:59pm On Aug 06, 2025
To all those shouting Jay Jay, as someone who watched him play in the mid to late 90's very well, I can tell you categorically that Jay Jay was more of a player who loved to play to the gallery with very little contribution to the team..

In fact, Oliseh confirmed this in one of his interviews with Elegbete Sports on YouTube.. He said Oruma was more of a playmaker than Jay-Jay.. Jay Jay was the kind of player you bring in when you were leading the opponents with a good margin and needed someone to frustrate them with his dribbling skills..

It wasn't until he was getting towards the end of his career that his game evolved into that of a playmaker who could marshal the midfield properly unlike the younger Jay Jay who was only an entertainer with little contribution to the game..

In fact, Oliseh even confirmed it further that he was always benched by Westerhof when Nigeria had some very crucial games to win and only brought in after a convincing lead to come and frustrate the opponent while dazzling the crowd..

That explains why most of the bigger European clubs were not looking his way when he was in his prime..

But I must give it to him for refining and stepping up his game towards the end of his career though..

If he had done that when he was younger, he would have been competing with the likes of Pirlo, Zidane or Xavi.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by COMPAQ(m): 5:00pm On Aug 06, 2025
Kaido:
LB -Celestine Babayaro
CM - J.J Okocha comot Esssien
GK- Vincent Enyeama
ST - Drogba

Sub
Essien
George Weah
Abedi Pele

No LB in Africa reach Babayaro. Drogba na Baba.

BTW, I no be Chelsea fan just spitting facts
George Weah on the bench for Drogba? Really? The best version of Weah is far better than the best version of Drogba. For a guy to win World Player of the year and European and African in same year na Beans.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by COMPAQ(m): 5:02pm On Aug 06, 2025
yummy001:
To all those shouting Jay Jay, as someone who watched him play in the mid to late 90's very well, I can tell you categorically that Jay Jay was more of a player who loved to play to the gallery with very little contribution to the team..

In fact, Oliseh confirmed this in one of his interviews with Elegbete Sports on YouTube.. He said Oruma was more of a playmaker than Jay-Jay.. Jay Jay was the kind of player you bring in when you were leading the opponents with a good margin and needed someone to frustrate them with his dribbling skills..

It wasn't until he was getting towards the end of his career that his game evolved into that of a playmaker who could marshal the midfield properly unlike the younger Jay Jay who was only an entertainer with little contribution to the game..

In fact, Oliseh even confirmed it further that he was always benched by Westerhof when Nigeria had some very crucial games to win and only brought in after a convincing lead to come and frustrate the opponent while dazzling the crowd..

That explains why most of the bigger European clubs were not looking his way when he was in his prime..

But I must give it to him for refining and stepping up his game towards the end of his career though..

If he had done that when he was younger, he would have been competing with the likes of Pirlo, Zidane or Xavi.
Well said! My that would have been my response to to all the many people on here shouting Jay Jay.
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by COMPAQ(m): 5:04pm On Aug 06, 2025
perdollar:
My formation is 433
GK: Vincent Enyeama
LB: Celestine Babayaro
CB1: Taribo West
CB2: Uchechukwu Okechukwu
RB: Hakimi
DM: Mikel Obi
CM: JJ Okocha
AM: Kanu Nwankwo
LW: Samuel Eto
RW: George Weah
S: Didier Drogba
Very biased list. No way Taribo and Uche Okechukwu and Mikel will be on this list when Yaya Toure is there.or Rigobert Song

Even Enyeama as good as he was is not the African Best of the last 30 years. There was this Egyptian goalkeeper
I don't even think Celestine Babayaro deserves to be there
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by tosyne2much(m): 5:08pm On Aug 06, 2025
Love800:
Lol, dis nigga!

Abeg delete okocha name from there. He was a viral failure. Like a man who works so hard but never brings any gifts to his house.

Mikel better pass okocha in hundred folds!
What exactly do people see in Okocha that make people hype him so much? Is it because he can dribble any defender and make him a laughing stock?

Tbe thing is, Okocha is a very selfish and unserious footballer.. Okocha can't play modern football where a lot of money is at stake
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by yummy001: 5:12pm On Aug 06, 2025
aribisala0:
What statistics exactly?
This will surely help you out.. No other African footballer comes close.. It is not cho cho cho..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5lBUkwv7_U?si=iJpZXXMl0LseUE2j
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Talkisneeded(m): 5:12pm On Aug 06, 2025
Love800:
Lol, dis nigga!

Abeg delete okocha name from there. He was a viral failure. Like a man who works so hard but never brings any gifts to his house.

Mikel better pass okocha in hundred folds!
Essien has no afcon,no African best,did not have a longer career than okocha…
There are better players than Okocha ooo,but not essien
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Talkisneeded(m): 5:15pm On Aug 06, 2025
COMPAQ:
Very biased list. No way Taribo and Uche Okechukwu and Mikel will be on this list when Yaya Toure is there.or Rigobert Song

Even Enyeama as good as he was is not the African Best of the last 30 years. There was this Egyptian goalkeeper
I don't even think Celestine Babayaro deserves to be there
El hadary played the majority of his career in Africa,enyeama had a better career,man did lit up the World Cup
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by correctguy101(m): 5:16pm On Aug 06, 2025
And there's no Double D there.

Oga you sure you know what you're doing?

Where's our Didier Drogba?
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Robnectar(m): 5:16pm On Aug 06, 2025
mecuries:
Okocha was an average player... Don't let nostalgia fool you
Average or no average,... He must be there shocked
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Tommydare(m): 5:16pm On Aug 06, 2025
You selected most of the players based on their European exploits and not their influence in the afcon. Roger Miller should be there instead of Mane. Okocha or Abedi Pele or Abou Treika instead of Essien. Enyeama or El Hadary instead of Bono. The list goes on
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by aribisala0(m): 5:20pm On Aug 06, 2025
yummy001:
This will surely help you out.. No other African footballer comes close.. It is not cho cho cho..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5lBUkwv7_U?si=iJpZXXMl0LseUE2j
I am not going to watch that if you cannot make your case on the thread forget it

The only thing I will add this is a thread purportedly for ALL TIME
Not Gen Z era


The all time highest ranked FIFA African team was super Eagles in 1994 ranked 5

At the time Amunike was playing in Zamalek

So if you talk statistics you cannot only use statistics from Europe

Playing in Europe does not make players better

Pele never played in Europe
Re: Africa All Time XI. Which Player Is Missing Here? by Shikena(m): 5:27pm On Aug 06, 2025
Drogba and Eto'o both played in Europe so your epistle here is off topic.

aribisala0:
I am not going to watch that if you cannot make your case on the thread forget it

The only thing I will add this is a thread purportedly for ALL TIME
Not Gen Z era


The all time highest ranked FIFA African team was super Eagles in 1994 ranked 5

At the time Amunike was playing in Zamalek

So if you talk statistics you cannot only use statistics from Europe

Playing in Europe does not make players better

Pele never played in Europe
1 2 3 4 5 Reply

Between Copa America Best XI Vs Euro Best XI, Which Team Is The BestVictor Osimhen Becomes Africa' all-time leading goalscorer In The Serie AWhich Player Should Win The African Footballer Of The Year 2022?234

Christian Chukwu Is Not A Destitute Old Man - Enugu State GovernmentAkwa Ibom Mobilises 25,000 Fans For Eagles Game Today2018 World Cup: Super Eagles Confirm Payment Of Bonuses