5 Best African players in world football currently

#4. Kalidou Koulibaly

The Senegalese is SSC Napoli's powerhouse. His rock-solid performances caused a stir in the transfer market as big guns like Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus were all ready to break the bank to sign him.

Kalidou Koulibaly was named the Serie A's defender of the season for his spectacular displays in 2018/19 campaign. The 28-year-old managed 135 clearances, 35 blocks and won 66 per cent of his total tackles throughout the season. He won 54% of his ground duels and 55% of his ariel duels.

The Senegalese also reached the AFCON finals with his national team, but his side could not get past Algeria. Even though Napoli may be struggling in the league, Koulibaly has been his usual self. The player has won 61% of his duels and won 64% of his tackles and has been rock solid at the back.

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About the author

Samyak is a European and international football journalist at Sportskeeda, who focuses on writing a variety of listicles. A post-graduate in Finance with over 6 years of total work experience, Samyak became interested in football after watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup and some high-octane El Clasico clashes. His favorite footballer is Cristiano Ronaldo for the forward's mentality, and his favorite managers are Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, and Pep Guardiola for the brand of football their teams showcase.

Samyak only follows top tier and verified fan club social media accounts for sourcing information for his articles. One of his core strengths is crafting crisp and concise articles to avoid any and all potential confusion for readers. These shrewd methods have helped him attain strong readership on his articles, one of them even being read half a million times!

Zinedine Zidane's Panenka penalty in the 2006 final is Samyak’s favorite World Cup moment owing to the Frenchman’s sheer nerves of steel showcased, and thinks Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are ready to usher in a new era post-Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. During his free time, Samyak follows Real Madrid, plays football and reads finance articles.

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Edited by Zaid Khan