Ghana Legend Michael Essien Named in Africa XI of the 21st Century
- Score90 included Michael Essien in their Africa Team of the 21st Century, making him the only Ghanaian in the prestigious selection
- Essien earned a place in a three-man midfield alongside Nigeria's Jay-Jay Okocha and Ivory Coast's Yaya Touré
- The former Chelsea and Black Stars star won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the UEFA Champions League during his career
PAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Michael Essien has been named in Score90’s Africa Team of the 21st Century, with the former Black Stars midfielder the only Ghanaian included in the prestigious selection.
Source: Getty Images
Essien named in Africa XI of the 21st Century
The recognition places Essien among some of the continent’s greatest footballers of the 21st century.
The team features Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah and Samuel Eto’o in attack, while Édouard Mendy was selected in goal. The defence is made up of Benoît Assou-Ekotto, Kolo Touré, Kalidou Koulibaly and Achraf Hakimi.
Score90 deployed Essien in a three-man midfield alongside Nigeria's Jay-Jay Okocha, widely regarded as one of the most gifted players the continent has produced, and Ivorian powerhouse Yaya Touré, who helped Ivory Coast claim the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations title and won four consecutive Premier League titles with Manchester City.
Essien's inclusion reflects the qualities that made him one of the most complete midfielders of his era: physical strength, relentless energy, disciplined tackling and a consistent ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch throughout his career.
Inside Essien’s trophy-laden club career
At club level, Michael Essien built an impressive collection of honours during a decorated career across Europe.
His time at Chelsea produced two Premier League titles and four FA Cups before he helped the London giants win the UEFA Champions League in 2012, one of the defining moments of his career.
Before his success in West London, Essien began his rise to prominence at Bastia, where his performances attracted the attention of Olympique Lyonnais.
After two successful seasons, which included back-to-back Ligue 1 titles and the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award, the Ghanaian midfielder moved to England to join Chelsea.
His standing in African football is even more remarkable considering Ghana did not win a major international trophy during his time with the Black Stars, unlike several of its continental rivals.
Despite the lack of international silverware, Essien’s individual achievements and impact at club level have earned him recognition among Africa’s finest footballers of the 21st century.
Essien linked with Black Stars coaching role
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Michael Essien has been named as a potential candidate for Ghana’s interim head coaching role.
The former Chelsea star has been working as an assistant coach at Danish club FC Nordsjaelland since 2020.
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: YEN.com.gh
