Two Africans honored in The Athletic's European best XI

British outlet The Athletic has unveiled its best XI from Europe's top five leagues for the 2024-2025 season.

This prestigious selection features two African superstars among the eleven chosen: Egypt's Mohamed Salah and Morocco's Achraf Hakimi. Both dazzled this season with their consistency, influence on the pitch, and eye-catching statistics across all competitions.

At 33, Mohamed Salah led Liverpool to the Premier League title, finishing as the league's top scorer with 28 goals.

Meanwhile, Achraf Hakimi (31) was a key figure for Paris Saint-Germain. The Moroccan right-back contributed to 21 goals in 46 matches, with 7 goals and 14 assists.

He secured both the Ligue 1 and the Trophée des Champions, and could yet add another major trophy to his cabinet if PSG triumph in the Champions League—a title he already boasts from his time at Real Madrid.

The Athletic recognizes Salah and Hakimi in its European Team of the Season

The Athletic's Team of the Year in Europe:

Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Midfielders: Pedri (FC Barcelona), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Declan Rice (Arsenal)

Forwards: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), Raphinha (FC Barcelona)

Also read: Salah on the verge of another Premier League record!

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.