Best AFCON Premier League XI

AFCON 2025 is due to kick off very soon – who made it into our XI of the best players at the tournament from the Premier League?

Our XI is particularly top heavy – there isn’t a lot of quality at the back, but it features some real monsters going forward. Could this be a sign of things to come at AFCON? Will it be a high scoring tournament?

GK: Andre Onana

We are cheating a bit with our inclusion of Andre Onana, as he is currently out on loan from Manchester United at Trabzonspor – however, we had to include him due to the lack of any other AFCON goalkeepers in the Premier League this season.

Onana’s story at United won’t be looked upon fondly – while he made a few spectacular saves for the Red Devils, they are overshadowed by the plethora of mistakes he made between the sticks.

RB: Noussair Mazraoui

The second Manchester United player on our list – like Onana, Noussair Mazraoui has faced criticism this year, though it was nowhere near as virulent as the tirade launched at the Cameroonian shot-stopper.

He hasn’t been helped by manager Ruben Amorim, who has shunted the Moroccan around the pitch – he has played nine Premier Legaue games this season, occupying three different positions.

CB: Calvin Bassey

Nigeria’s Calvin Bassey is the archetypal old-school centre-back. While not technically proficient, he is very brave and possesses an indomitable physical frame that makes him unstoppable in aerial duels.

While he is prone to the odd mistake at Fulham, owing to his lack of ability on the ball, he’s a great asset to any team if his weaknesses can be accomodated.

CB: Axel Tuanzebe

Axel Tuanzebe was once a promising defender at Manchester United – now, aged 28, he hasn’t quite lived up to the standard that some may have hoped.

Tuanzebe is, however, still among the most capable defenders at AFCON. He plays for Burnley at present and will represent DR Congo at the tournament.

LB: Reinildo

Reinildo beats out a couple of other top left-backs for this position – including Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri. While the City man might be the objectively better player, Reinildo has been outstanding for Sunderland this season.

Outside of a red card received early on in the campaign, the battling Mozambican has been almost fautless at both ends of the pitch.

CM: Idrissa Gueye

Idrissa Gueye is another player whose stellar season threatened to become ruined by a senseless red card – nevertheless, this moment of madness aside, Everton’s Senegalese star has been brilliant for the Toffees this season.

Despite being at the advanced age of 36, Gueye hasn’t missed a step – he is still a bundle of energy on the pitch and always makes himself available for a pass.

CM: Alex Iwobi

Alex Iwobi is a joy to watch whenever he’s on the pitch. An excellent passer and dribbler, he is the dynamo that drives Fulham forward.

One of the most creative players in the Premier League, Iwobi will certainly one of the players to watch at AFCON for Nigeria.

RW: Ismalia Sarr

Ismailia Sarr, along with his Crystal Palace teammates, has been enjoying a great season at Selhurst Park this season.

Senegal have the strongest squad at AFCON on paper, but Sarr is still good value for his place in the team, having scored three goals in the Premier League this season.