Afcon 2022 awards

Off the pitch, the tournament was marred by the loss of life in Yaounde, leaving a continent asking questions about how this could happen at a new stadium with such excellent facilities. The answers to those questions may well create the longest-lasting legacy.

Goalkeeper: Mohamed El Shenawy

A controversial shared award, but it makes total sense. El Shenawy played Egypt’s three group games and then 88 minutes of their last-16 match, conceding one goal in total. 

Right-back: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)

Hakimi came into this tournament as its world-class right-back and he fully justified the billing. The PSG star played every minute of Morocco’s campaign, scored twice and was a constant threat overlapping on the right wing.

Left-back: Saliou Ciss (Senegal)

Ciss is very much the exception in Senegal’s defence. While the other four in their back five play for Chelsea, Napoli, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, the 32-year-old left-back is now at Nancy in the French second tier having failed to break into Angers’ first team.

Centre-back: Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso)

Burkina Faso were the surprise team of the tournament, continuing their reputation as Afcon’s great overachievers. 

Centre-back: Mohamed Abdelmonem (Egypt)

Egypt conceded one goal during his five starts and he was named Man of the Match in the semi-final. Shame about the penalty in the final shootout.

Central midfielder: Martin Hongla (Cameroon)

Hongla managed to combine that with some attacking intent of his own – he created nine chances and no teammate provided more assists despite him being rested for the third-place playoff.

Central midfielder: Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)

Elneny is clearly still fighting for relevance at Arsenal – he has played more minutes in this tournament than in all competitions at club level this season – but you cannot doubt his importance to Egypt.

Central midfielder: Ibrahima Sangare (Ivory Coast)

 He played all the hits: he tackles, he surges forward with the ball, he’s physical, he protects the ball and he always looks to pass the ball forward.

Wide forward: Sadio Mane (Senegal)

The most valuable Player of the Tournament and a man with balls the size of Africa after stepping up to take the final penalty having missed almost two hours earlier. Mane was not a constant threat in this tournament, but he provided the tie-defining moments in each of Senegal’s knockout matches. 

Wide forward: Sofiane Boufal (Morocco)

Released by Southampton on a free transfer and now at Angers, this tournament was proof that he could still be a smart signing for a higher-end Ligue 1 club.

Striker: Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon)

 In this tournament he became the highest goalscorer in a single tournament since Ndaye Mulamba in 1974. Now aged 30, he certainly has at least one more Afcon in him.