22 July 2019, by: Leonard Solms

AFCON 2019 TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

Afcon 2019 drew to a close with Algeria lifting the trophy for the first time since their maiden triumph in 1990, beating Senegal in the final at Cairo’s International Stadium.

BET Central kept you informed throughout and it’s now team for us to pick our unofficial team of the tournament — not to be confused with an official CAF selection.

Five Algerian players, four from Senegal and two from Nigeria’s Super Eagles make the cut.

The unbreakable M’bolhi has won the #TotalAFCON2019 best goalkeeper award ?#CelebrateAfrica pic.twitter.com/pEzKNpX01D

— CAF (@CAF_Online) July 20, 2019

M’Bolhi picked up the man of the match award in the 1-0 final victory over Senegal. This was far from the first time he came to the Desert Foxes’ rescue. M’Bolhi kept five clean sheets at Afcon 2019, more than any other goalkeeper, also saving Wilfried Bony’s penalty in the quarter-final shootout against Ivory Coast.

Gassama typified the modern full-back throughout the Africa Cup of Nations, providing an extra body for Senegal on attack. The Göztepe man picked up two assists against Kenya, also featuring in a Lions of Teranga defence which conceded just two goals all tournament.

Slotting in at centre-back even though he more commonly plays in midfield for Crystal Palace, Kouyaté deserves a special mention. He came off the bench against Tanzania in Senegal’s first match and helped the Lions of Teranga start off with a clean sheet. From there, he became a regular fixture in the first XI and Senegal shut out four more opponents, only conceding in each of their two matches against Algeria.

Benlamri put his body on the line for the Desert Foxes, playing a crucial role in a defence which only conceded two goals all tournament and twice shut out the mighty Senegal. He was a big part of the reason why Algeria held firm under wave after wave of Senegalese pressure in the final.

Versatile and dangerous on attack, Aina shone for the Super Eagles as they finished a respectable third. The Torino starlet caught the attention of the world when he set up Odion Ighalo’s goal against Burundi with a spectacular no-look backheel.

The Everton midfielder has been an unsung hero for the Lions of Teranga, proving a vital link between attack and defence. Apart from contributing to Senegal’s solidity, Gueye hit home the only goal in the quarter-final win against Benin.

#TotalAFCON2019 The moment you’ve all been waiting for is finally here. The Total Man Of The Competition is none other than I. Bennacer! Congrats! #FootballTogether pic.twitter.com/gkbPotdKLd — CAF (@CAF_Online) July 19, 2019

Africa witnessed a star in the making as Bennacer proved a driving force for the Desert Foxes from midfield. Winning Player of the Tournament at the tender age of 21, Bennacer won admirers with his consistency. He picked up assists against Kenya and Guinea before notching up another in the final against Senegal.

Mahrez was not always spectacular during the course of this tournament but he showed up when it mattered most. The Manchester City man was on target against Guinea in the last 16, but his most notable shift came in the semi-finals against Nigeria. Here, he forced the error which caused William Troost-Ekong to put the ball in his own net and scored a stunning free-kick to seal Algeria’s place in the final.

The Liverpool star was quoted by France Football as saying that he was willing to trade in his UEFA Champions League medal for the Africa Cup of Nations trophy. While he was unable to collect Africa’s most coveted prize, Mané certainly can’t be faulted for his effort and contribution. The joint Premier League Golden Boot winner picked up three Afcon 2019 goals and one assist.

Belaïli completed his remarkable comeback from a two-year cocaine ban (shortened from four years) by playing a key role in Algeria’s Afcon triumph. He was on target during the group stage match against Senegal and the last 16 encounter with Guinea.

Odion Ighalo became the #TotalAFCON2019 top goal scorer with five strikes ⚽️✌️

5⃣??@ighalojude
3⃣??Sadio Mané
3⃣??@Mahrez22
3⃣??@Bakambu17
3⃣?? Adam Ounas pic.twitter.com/UOwTfk2ktf

— CAF (@CAF_Online) July 20, 2019

The tournament top scorer with five goals was benched for Nigeria’s first match against Burundi but came on to score the winner. Gernot Rohr subsequently promoted him to the starting lineup and he never looked back, scoring a brace against Cameroon and further goals against Algeria and Tunisia.

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