Zimbabwean football legend Willard Katsande has now named his all-time African XI, and the line-up includes one of his former teammates!
When asked to name a team featuring Africa's best players ever, the former Kaizer Chiefs star revealed to KickOff that he would opt to include Egypt icon Essam El-Hadary, who is the most successful goalkeeper on the continent with three CAF Champions League and four Africa Cup of Nations titles to his name.
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The now 50-year-old enjoyed a lengthy career spanning more than 24 years before he announced his retirement in 2020, having made a record 159 appearances for his country and becoming the oldest player ever to play at a FIFA World Cup when he starred in goal at the age of 45 years and 161 days during the 2018 edition in Russia.
In the fullback positions, Katsande named two-time AFCON winner Geremi Njitap and his former national team colleague Onismor Bhasera to defend the flanks.
The Cameroonian, who could also play in midfield, had a hugely successful career in Europe, representing giants like Real Madrid and Chelsea and winning two UEFA Champions League trophies, the 2000/01 LaLiga title, and two Premier League trophies. Geremi was also successful with his country, having been part of the golden generation that won back-to-back AFCON tournaments in 2000 and 2002.
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Bhasera, meanwhile, is the only active player in the 37-year-old's selection that is based on the continent, plying his trade for SuperSport United. The left-back made his international debut in 2006 under manager Charles Mhlauri at the age of 20. Despite having only made 40 appearances for the Warriors, the Matsatsantsa defender has had longevity in his career, representing seven different clubs in South Africa and having a stint in England with Plymouth between 2010 and 2013.
Katsande went with the centre-back pairing of Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly and current Indomitable Lions boss Rigobert Song, and then a midfield pivot of Mali legend Seydou Keita and Michael Essien, who represented Ghana at two World Cups, including their historic run to the quarter-finals in 2010.
The two central midfielders have both won Europe's most coveted club competition, the UCL, with the former doing so twice with FC Barcelona, while the latter clinched the 2011/12 edition with Chelsea.
Lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, the retired deep-lying playmaker also selected Algeria talisman Riyad Mahrez and 2022 CAF Men's Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane to occupy the wings. The Manchester City attacker will once again have another shot at winning the Champions League when his side comes up against Inter Milan in the final next month after being unsuccessful in his previous attempt in the 2020/21 campaign, while Mane has already tasted success in that competition, having won it with Liverpool in the 2018/19 season.
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Katsande then named a legendary strike partnership of Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o, who have a combined total of 121 international goals between them for Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
Perhaps surprisingly, there was no place for four-time CAF POTY Yaya Toure and Liverpool's Pharoah Mohamed Salah.
Here is Katsande's all-time Africa XI in full!
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