World Cup 2010

World Cup Debate: Ten Of The Best Africans That Won't Be At The 2010 World Cup

Goal.com takes a look at ten African players who will not be fighting for the World Cup title in South Africa.

Dec 1, 2009 12:30:09 PM

Emmanuel Adebayor and Mohammed Aboutrika

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Emmanuel Adebayor and Mohammed Aboutrika

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In a few days time the draw for next year’s World Cup in South Africa will be made, but certain players from the African continent will be watching the event with disappointment, as they failed to qualify for the showpiece competition.

Goal.com have chosen ten of the best African players who will miss out on the World Cup next year.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)

He is the face of the Sparrow Hawks of Togo. He took his country for the first time to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The Togolese has tortured world class goalkeepers with both his simple and exceptional goals.

He will watch South Africa 2010 with a heavy heart as fortune failed to knock on his door this time round for his country. Perhaps it is about time the players in the national team stopped overly relying on his form to deliver them from their opponents.

Seydou Keita (Mali)

The Marseille youth academy product has been having a stellar career ever since he left Lens three seasons ago. After an amazing season with Sevilla, the Bamako-native was transferred to Barcelona where he has basically taken over Yaya Toure’s spot in the midfield where there used to be a turnover last season.

Discreet, humble but unafraid to be vocal whether in club or country, he has a few detractors in the national team and his feud with Real Madrid's Mahamadou Djilla Diarra is one of the reasons the Eagles of Mali won't be in South Africa. Mali may not be equipped to deal with having world-class players and locker-room politics but this player would have felt right at home amongst the planet's best.

Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)

Without a doubt the best African player never to play in Europe, Aboutrika is a living legend in his country and on the continent. Content with being a local deity, the BBC 2008 African Player of the Year may never be able to play another World Cup as he is already 31 but something tells us he's fine with it.

We may not be fine with it as he's without a doubt one of the most beautiful players to watch play on the continent. The smiling assassin, as the press calls him, will end his career before ever trying to get to Brazil but he'll undoubtedly touch a few African Cup of Nations with his class and talent.

Mamadou Niang (Senegal)

True, Senegal have not been in the running for practically a year now. But what a shame that Mamadou Niang may never play a World Cup and show the World what he's capable of. The victim of a generation who held on two cycles too long and never willingly let go.

At 30 years old, the Marseille captain is at his peak, and his international career would have culminated this summer in South Africa. Instead of that, he'll be watching his peers from the couch and cursing whoever gave the keys of the Lions to El-Hadji Diouf and his tabloid-obsessed self.

Stephane Sessegnon (Benin)

Benin is a tiny country. An even tinier one in a footballing context. Which makes Stephane Sessegnon an anomaly. He may very well be the George Weah of his country, a player of infinite talent in a team of sub-level ones. But if he keeps at it, Benin may crack it one day, all he needs is a few worthy underlings and some draw day luck and his mission to get his country to the World Cup could be fulfilled.

George Weah never managed to do it and the man's performances in Paris forced the Ballon d'Or committee to change their rules and give it to him the following season when he was blossoming in Milan. If Sessegnon is undoubtedly great, he'll have to put his club side in the Champions League before dreaming of Brazil 2014.

Elias Pelembe (Mozambique)

This youngster was instrumental in making sure that Mozambique qualified for the 2010 AFCON. The pace and skill he displays when playing for Mamelodi Sundowns in the South African PSL has a number of coaches singling him out as a player who would make a smooth transition to the European leagues.

He is a player to watch in next year's continental showpiece in Angola, but unfortunately, due to the lack of many big name players in the side, Mozambique and the little speedster will miss out on the World Cup in June.

Karim Haggui (Tunisia)

The Bundesliga based centre back was tasked with captaining a young and inexperienced Carthage Eagles squad in their World Cup qualifying campaign and left positive impressions in his new role as team leader even though his side ultimately failed in their attempt to book their flights to South Africa 2010.

He is a regular at Hannover who delivers consistent performances while anchoring their defence. His good sense of positioning and intelligent man coverage make him a useful player to have in any team.

Essam El-Hadary (Egypt)

The Egyptian goalkeeper has been one of the best shot-stopper on the continent in the last few years, and he performed well during his country’s play off match against Algeria, but it was not enough to book his team a place in South Africa.

El-Hadary possesses fantastic reflexes and leadership qualities which allow him to take charge of the Pharaohs from the back, giving confidence to his defenders, as they know they have a solid stopper behind them. The number one will feel that his side came so close to a place in the tournament, but he will have to watch next year’s competition from the sidelines.

Fredi Kanoute (Mali)

The Mali striker and his country had a disappointing run in World Cup qualifying, and after being one of the favourites to qualify for South Africa 2010, Mali were outclassed by Ghana long before the end of the campaign.

Kanoute knows how to score goals, and has been one of Africa’s best finishers in the past few seasons, but unfortunately he will not get a chance to shine on the greatest stage of all next year. It will be a huge disappointment for the French-born international to miss the first ever World Cup tournament on African soil.

Maraouane Chamakh (Morocco)

Last year, the lanky Lion of the Atlas put in his best goalscoring season with 13 finishes in domestic play to help his club side, Girondins de Bordeaux, lift their first title in 10 years. Not only that but they also lifted the Coupe de La Ligue and the Trophee des Champions with him leading the line. His impressive output coupled with the fact that he was entering the last season on his contract made him a hot commodity in the transfer market and now he is one still.

He is tall, physical, and a good leaper, which makes him a constant threat in the air and is also a capable finisher once he has the ball at his feet inside the box. Just last week he scored a header against Juventus in Champions League play to guarantee his club top spot in their group and passageway to the knock-out stages of the prestigious competition.

Goal.com Africa

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