BEST AFRICAN PLAYERS in association with Welcome The African Footballer has been a mainstay of the global market place for decades now and we are hopeful this work may lend to a greater appreciation of the contribution African talent is making to the development of the world’s most loved and followed sport. There is a temptation to focus on the monetary value these players possess in the market place, but we hope through this endeavour to quite simply highlight the presence and participation of African Talent at the highest echelons of the game all over the world From the English Premier League to the Chinese Super League, from the pitches of Germany to the fields of Gabon, 2017 has borne witness to the exploits of some exceptional talent of African extraction. Some of the continent’s sons and daughters may play for non-African nations but the blood coursing through their veins remains true to the enchanting rhythm and dance that is African football. We invite you to dove a hat to Africa’s 100 Best Football Players 2017. Francis Nkwain: Founder BoA AFRICAN TALENT The Beautiful Game has carried me to many corners of the world, from the rolling splendours of North Eastern China to the rich green fields of South America, from the metropolitan oases of Western Europe to the tributary edifices of the Middle East. One thing is true: talent always rises when given the opportunity to present itself. The African Talent is a near unique proposition because it has demonstrated transferability, adaptability and evolution more than any of its geo-positional competition. From the sons of the descendants of Africa in Brazil to the modern- day immigrant Africans in Europe and North America, not to mention the vast pool of talent residing on the continent, the natural predisposition for African talent to exhale and shine when provided with efficient and effective management and moulding is beyond question. As a company, we pride ourselves on our extensive understanding of the continental terrain and our unparalleled network of Africa-based research. These coupled with our engagement with the centres of modern-day club football power inform our sense of duty and obligation to help build resource tools that will help foster a deeper and more meaningful appreciation of the contribution of African Talent to the Beautiful Game. Kingsley Pungong CEO: Rainbow Sports Methodology • AGE & CONTRACT LENGTH • TECHNICAL QUALITY • CLUB/LEAGUE • CLUB TEAM: MINUTES PLAYED • NATIONAL TEAM APPEARANCES • GOALS SCORED / GOALS PREVENTED • INJURIES • OFF-FIELD CONTRIBUTION • MEDIA VALUE • MARKET VALUE PERCEPTION • RAINBOW COEFFICIENT PLAYERS ARE ONLY POOLED FROM SEASON 2016/17 AND ANY OFF-SEASON TOURNAMENTS IN 2017 (INCLUDING AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS 2017 AND CONFEDERATIONS CUP 2017). LIST OF 50 BEST PLAYERS SOURCED FROM 20 FIGURES IN THE GAME: COACHES, PLAYERS, MANAGEMENT, MEDIA, AGENTS AND FEDERATION AUTHORITIES. COMBINED LIST OF 1000 NAMES POOLED AND SIFTED USING THE METHODOLOGY PILLARS TO PROVIDE THE FINAL 100. THE RAINBOW COEFFICIENT: The Rainbow Coefficient is a player valuation methodology in development, to be used to obtain an informed and contextualized valuation of football players based in Africa. It will serve clubs that need to better evaluate potential assets and will help in transfers, in Merger & Acquisition processes, to provide relevant information to potential investors, and to set guarantees in loans and other financial products. Nicolas Pepe Yaya Toure Yaya Romelu Lukaku Right Wing Central Midfield Centre-Forward LOSC Lille Manchester City Manchester United Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Samuel Umtiti Thomas Partey Centre-Forward Centre-Back Defensive Midfield Borussia Dortmund FC Barcelona Atletico Madrid Djibril Sidibe Paul Pogba Blaise Matuidi Right-Back Central Midfield Central Midfield AS Monaco Manchester United Paris Saint Germain Andre Onana Dele Alli Franck Kessie Goalkeeper Central Midfield Defensive Midfield AFC Ajax Tottenham Hotspur AC Milan Ousmane Dembele Mario Balotelli Leroy Sane Right Wing Centre-Forward Left Wing Borussia Dortmund Nice Manchester City Serge Aurier Eric Bailly Jean-Michael Seri Right-Back Centre-Back Central Midfield Paris Saint-Germain Manchester United OGC Nice Cedric Bakambu Elias Kachunga Mohamed Salah Centre-Forward Right Wing Right Wing Villarreal CF Huddersfield Liverpool Mohamed Elneny Alfred Duncan Benjamin Mendy Defensive Midfield Central Midfield Left-Back Arsenal U.S. Sassuolo Calcio Manchester City Tiemoue Bakayoko Nabil Bentaleb Gelson Martins Defensive Midfield Central Midfield Right Wing Chelsea FCSchalke Sporting CP Danny Welbeck Benjamin Moukandjo Presnel Kimpembe Centre-Forward Centre-Forward Centre-Back Arsenal JS Suning Paris Saint Germain Bafetimbi Gomis Karim Benzema Samir Nasri Centre-Forward Centre-Forward Left Wing Galatasaray Real Madrid Manchester City Medhi Benatia Moussa Sow Vincent Aboubakar Centre-Back Centre-Foward Centre-Forward Juventus Al-Ahli Dubai FC Porto N’Golo Kante Chelsea One of the most outstanding players of 2017, N'golo Kante was instrumental to Chelsea's success in the Premier League. Winner of the player of the Season Award and PFA Player of the year Awards, a dynamic force in chelsea's midfield. considering he had just won the league the previous season (2016) with Leicester City, this back-to-back success story is one few players will be able to match. a technically astute and tactically conscious player, this son of Mali's footballing story feels to be just beginning... and what a way to begin! Moussa Sissoko Alex Iwobi Victor Moses Central Midfield Striker Right Wing Tottenham Hotspur Arsenal Chelsea F.C. Sadio Mane Khama Billiat Wilfried Zaha Left Wing Striker Right Wing Liverpool F.C. Mamelodi Sundowns Crystal Palace Moussa Dembele Idrissa Gueye Nathan Ake Centre-Forward Central Midfield Centre-Back Celtic F.C. Everton AFC Bournemouth Jerome Boateng Islam Slimani Joel Matip Centre-Back Centre-Forward Centre-Back Bayern Munich Leicester City Liverpool F.C. Michy Batshuayi Steve Mounie Victor Wanyama Centre-Forward Centre-Forward Defensive Midfield Chelsea F.C. Huddersfield Tottenham Hotspur Christian Benteke Andre Ayew Naby Keita Centre-Forward Left Wing Central Midfield Crystal Palace West Ham RB Leipzig Samuel Eto’o Keita Balde Diao Seydou Doumbia Centre-Forward Left Wing Centre-Forward Antalyaspor Lazio de Rome Sporting CP/Roma M’baye Leye Bertrand Traore Ryad Boudebouz Centre-Forward Right Wing Attacking Midfield Zulte Waregem Olympique Lyon Montpellier Herault Christian Bassogog Younes Belhanda Cheikhou Kouyate Centre-Forward Attacking Midfield Defensive Midfield Henan Jianye Galatasaray West Ham Riyad Mahrez Kylian Mbappe Joshua King Right Wing Centre-Forward Striker Leicester City AS Monaco AFC Bournemouth/GAMBIA Wissam Ben Yedder Divock Origi Fabrice Ondoa Centre-Forward Centre-Forward Goalkeeper Sevilla FC Liverpool F.C. Sevilla Atletico Yacine Brahimi Kalidou Koulibaly Faouzi Ghoulam Left Wing Centre-Back Left-Back FC Porto SSC Napoli SSC Napoli Tammy Abraham Vincent Enyeama Sofiane Feghouli Centre-Forward Goalkeeper Right Wing Swansea City/Chelsea F.C. LOSC Lille West Ham Christian Atsu Mamadou Sakho Maxwel Cornet Right Wing Centre-Back Left Wing Newcastle Liverpool F.C. Olympique Lyon Mario Lemina Ismaila Sarr Emmanuel Adebayor Central Midfield Left Wing Centre-Forward Juventus/Gabon Stade Rennais Istanbul Basaksehir Saphir Taider Landry Dimata Michael Ngadeu Central Midfield Centre-Forward Defensive Midfield Bologna F.C. VFL Wolfsburg Slavia Prague Mubarak Wakaso Ambroise Oyongo Salomon Kalou Left Swing Left-Back Left Wing Alaves Monreal Impact Hertha Berlin Antonio Rudiger Terence Kongolo Rachid Ghezzal Centre-Back Centre-Back Right Wing Chelsea F.C. AS Monaco AS Monaco Moise Kean Asamoah Gyan Henry Onyekuru Centre-Forward Centre-Forward Left Wing Juventus Kayserispor RSC Anderlecht Karim El Ahmadi Jonathan Pitroipa Kevin-Prince Boateng Central Midfield Right Wing Attacking Midfield Feyenoord Al Nasr UD Las Palmas Mohamed Diame Jonathan Kodjia Knowledge Musona Central Midfield Centre-Forward Left Wing Newcastle Aston Villa K.V. Oostende • When Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura was announced as the new secretary-general of FIFA in May 2016, not only was she the first female to hold an executive role but the first African. • Chris Hughton was the first manager of African heritage to get a team promoted to the Premier League. He has achieved this not only once but twice. • FIFA awarded Strive Masiyiwa’s television company, Kwesé Sport the exclusive free-to-air rights to broadcast the finals of the FIFA World Cup 2018 tournament in sub-Saharan Africa (except South Africa). Kwesé Sport will broadcast the World Cup exclusively for FREE in over 40 countries, at the same time. This has never happened before in African history. Get In Touch POLARIS MEDIA T +44207 828 6617 E [email protected] W www.polaris-media.co.uk.