Greatest African Player Ever

The wonderful football magazine World Soccer has their annual summer issue out and this year they deal with 'The Greatest': the best teams, goals, matches and players of all-time.

In the issue, they briefly touch on who they believe is the best African player of all-time. I've stated before that the distinction might fall to one of three men: Kanu, George Weah and Jay-Jay Okocha. Some others who undoubtedly come up are Samuel Eto'o, Roger Milla, El-Hadji Diouf and Abedi Pele. But I'm a neophyte when it comes to African soccer, so let's see what the experts have to say:

With 170 caps for Egypt, Hossam Hassan is arguably Africa's greatest player. He's certainly the greatest African never to have played outside the continent. Still playing at the age of 40, Hassan has amassed an impressive array of titles, including three African Nations Cups (1986, 1998 & 2006), the African Champions League and 11 Egyptian championships. He became the world's most capped player in 2001 when overtaking Lothar Matthaus's mark of 150, but has since seen Claudio Suarez and Mohamed Al-Deayea overtake him.

He certainly boasts amazing credentials. He currently plays for Al-Itthad Al-Iskandary, one of the biggest soccer clubs in Egypt.

So is he the greatest player ever from Africa? Is he the man people agree is the best African footballer ever?

Let's open the floor for some debate.
Who do you think is the Greatest African Player of All-Time?

Madiba's Birthday and African Champions League

The stars of football past & present congregated in Cape Town Wednesday to mark statesman Nelson Mandela’s 89th birthday. A celebrity World XI drew 3-3 with an equally high-profile African squad at the Newlands Stadium, with players’ ages ranging from the mid-20s to almost 50.

The stars traveled from all over the world to display their creaky but technically enviable skills in a match to celebrate the life of Mandela, South Africa’s first black president and Nobel peace prize laureate.

The match theme was “Say No to Racism”, key among Mandela’s causes, as the African team wore white and their opponents black.

To read more about this match and see who played (among the participants were Pele, Samuel Eto'o, Ruud Gullit and Ivan Zamorano), please read the South African Times article here.

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The African Champions League gets underway again tomorrow and holders Al Ahly of Egypt, the strongest team of the tournament and favorite to win, look to creep ever closer to a semifinal berth.

The Egyptians giants, who are chasing an unprecedented third successive Champions League title, host Tunisia's Esperance in Cairo and are hoping to take advantage of a club in crisis.

Ahly's opponents begin their third match of the league phase with a third successive coach, Arbi Zouaoui, brought in after the surprise departure of Fawzi Benzarti last week.

Benzarti had himself been appointed only two weeks earlier when Frenchman Jackie Duguperoux got off to a slow start in the Group B campaign last month and was promptly dismissed.

Esperance have also suspended their captain and veteran defender Moyin Chaabani for disciplinary reasons.

Ahly go into the game with two wins and, if they maintain their 100 percent record, they will take themselves to within touching distance of the semi-finals.

The top two teams in the two groups advance to the semis - Al Hilal of Sudan host Asec Mimosas in the group's other game on July 22.

The Sudanese looked convincing in a 2-0 win over Esperance two weeks ago while Asec lost their last game at home to Ahly and have just a single point.

Another defeat could end any realistic hopes for the Ivory Coast champions.

In Group A, Morocco's FAR Rabat desperately need a win against Al Ittihad of Libya to stand any chance of progress after losing their opening two matches.

"The losses have complicated our chances and handed us an arduous mission, so we have no alterative but to win," declared coach Mustapha Madih.

Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia host JS Kabylie in Sousse, also July 21, with a chance to take control of the group.

The Tunisians have been runners-up in two of the last three editions of the Champions League but never won Africa's top club prize.

African Champions League Update

The African Champions League resumed this weekend with some group action around the continent.

Al Ahly stayed on track for a record third consecutive African Champions League title with a 1-0 victory over Ivorian side ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan on Sunday.

Ace midfielder Mohamed Aboutraika (pictured) scored after 40 minutes in the Group B second-round clash to lift the 'Red Devils' of Egypt five points clear of Asec and Tunisian side Esperance.

Success was particularly sweet for Ahly, who were lucky to lose only 2-1 at Asec in the semi-finals last year having established a two-goal first-leg lead at home.

Collecting maximum points from arguably the toughest of their six group fixtures completed a wonderful week for five-time Champions League title holders Ahly.

Last Monday they came from behind three times to pip fierce Cairo rivals Zamalek 4-3 after extra time in the Egyptian Cup final and complete a second consecutive domestic double.

Ahly made six changes from the team that left it late before overcoming Al-Hilal of Sudan 2-0 in Cairo two weeks ago in the opening round of Group B action.

Among those introduced by Portuguese coach Manuel Jose was cultured Angolan midfielder Felisberto 'Gilberto' Amaral after an 18-month injury layoff that threatened to end his football career.

Gilberto fitted neatly into an Ahly team that soaked up first-half pressure before going ahead when Aboutraika pounced on a headed pass and goalkeeper Vincent Angban stood motionless as a low shot hit the net.

French coach Patrick Liewig rang the second-half Asec changes, sending on Marc Dion, Nigerian Mutiu Adegoke and Serge Deble to bolster the attack, but veteran Ahly goalkeeper Essam al-Hadary was rarely troubled.

"We played well, there is no shame in losing to Ahly," Liewig said.

"They have much more experience than us, that is the difference. I don't want to disrepect my team, they played very well."

In Sunday's other Group B match, Al Hilal of Sudan beat Tunisia's Esperance 2-0 in Omdurman, with Nigerian import Ndubuisi Eze scoring twice.

His first was set up by compatriot Kelechi Osunwa whose dribbling outfoxed the Esperance defence before he crossed for Eze to finish on 29 minutes.

The second saw Eze burst clear of the Tunisian defenders, pushing forward in added time for an equaliser, and beat Esperance goalkeeper Hamdi Kasraoui to a loose ball.

Esperance had few chances in their first outing under new coach Faouzi Benzarti, who replaced Frenchman Jacky Dugueperoux.

He was fired after the Tunis club was held at home in the opening group match by Asec last month.

(Thanks to the BBC for this information.)

African Champions League Back in Swing

The African Champions League gets back into swing this weekend, with a full slate of games on hand.

Egyptian giants and holders Al Ahly set out in search of an unprecedented third successive Champions League title when they host Sudan’s Al Hilal at home on the first weekend of the group phase of the competition. Ahly start as strong favorites in a field of eight sides, seven of which come from the Arabic-speaking North of the continent.

Ahly will have Mohamed Aboutrika, the catalyst for their success in last year’s competition, back from injury for Sunday’s match, having overcome a groin strain picked up in an international friendly for Egypt in Kuwait last week.

Al Hilal compete in the group phase of the Champions League for the first time and on the back of Sudan’s qualification last weekend for the African Cup of Nations finals.

Nine players from Al Hilal featured in the 2-0 win in the Seychelles on Saturday that saw Sudan qualify for the Nations Cup finals for the first time since 1976.

In addition to the champions game, Esperance of Tunisia face Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast at Al-Menzah Stadium in Tunisia Saturday followed by FAR Rabat of Morocco against Etoile Sahel of Tunisia at Moulay Abdallah Stadium in the Moroccan capital.

In the other game, Al-Ittihad of Libya, the first club from the north African country to get this far, host twice title holders JS Kabylie of Algeria in Tripoli to launch a 24-fixture pool programme involving eight clubs. This game takes place on Friday.

FAR and Etoile look a cut above their rivals in the weaker Group A and Ahly, ASEC and Esperance should slug it out for the two semi-finals slots from Group B where even outsiders Hilal look no pushovers.

Only the bravest would predict the likely champions at this stage, especially as the coach of obvious choice Ahly admits his star-laced squad are weary after endless domestic and international commitments.

Here's a list of the games coming up. The top two finishers in the two groups advance to the semifinals. The winner of the Champions League plays in December in the Club World Cup in Japan. Enjoy the action as Africa crowns a club champion!

GROUP A

P W D L GF GA Pts
FAR Rabat (MOR) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Etoile du Sahel (TUN) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Al Ittihad (LBY) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
JS Kabylie (ALG) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


22-24/06/07: FAR Rabat (MOR) v Etoile du Sahel (TUN)
22-24/06/07: Al Ittihad (LBY) v JS Kabylie (ALG)

06-08/07/07: Etoile du Sahel (TUN) v Al Ittihad (LBY)
06-08/07/07: JS Kabylie (ALG) v FAR Rabat (MOR)

20-22/07/07: FAR Rabat (MOR) v Al Ittihad (LBY)
20-22/07/07: Etoile du Sahel (TUN) v JS Kabylie (ALG)

03-05/08/07: Al Ittihad v FAR Rabat
03-05/08/07: JS Kabylie v Etoile du Sahel

17-19/08/07: Etoile du Sahel v FAR Rabat
17-19/08/07: JS Kabylie v Al Ittihad

31-02/09/07: Al Ittihad v
Etoile du Sahel 31-02/09/07: FAR Rabat v JS Kabylie

GROUP B

P W D L GF GA Pts
Ahly (EGY) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Al Hilal (SUD) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Esperance (TUN) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Asec Mimosas (CIV) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


22-24/06/07: Ahly (EGY) v Al Hilal (SUD)
22-24/06/07: Esperance (TUN) v Asec Mimosas (CIV)

06-08/07/07: Al Hilal v Esperance
06-08/07/07: Asec Mimosas v Ahly

20-22/07/07: Ahly v Esperance
20-22/07/07: Al Hilal v Asec Mimosas

03-05/08/07: Esperance v Ahly
03-05/08/07: Asec Mimosas v Al Hilal

11-19/08/07: Al Hilal v Ahly
11-19/08/07: Asec Mimosas v Esperance

31-02/09/07: Esperance v Al Hilal
31-02/09/07: Ahly 1-0 Asec Mimosas