Let’s check out the best European and Asian players in each position and find out who would win an all-star match.
World Cup qualifiers in Asia and Africa are notoriously tough, with only a few teams securing each continent’s spots in football’s biggest stage.
The qualification tournaments for Qatar 2022 were no different. But at least we got a sense of what to expect from the Asian and African teams in the upcoming competition.
Let’s check out our picks for the best African and Asian XIs of 2022.
Best 2022 African XI
Eduard Mendy starts in goal behind a four-man defensive unit of Achraf Hakimi, Kalidou Koulibaly, Joel Matip and Saliou Ciss.
Another left-back option for Africa could have been Serge Aurier. However, Ciss’s impressive performance for Senegal during the 2021 AFCON convinced us to give him a place in our 2022 Africa lineup.
In midfield, Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Kessie are our central midfield choices, who play alongside Riyad Mahrez and Sadio Mane on the wings.
We have picked Sebastian Haller to form a duo with Mohamed Salah up front. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is surely a close contender to claim Haller’s spot, but we decided to go with the Ajax star due to his consistent performances for the Dutch side.
Best 2022 Asian XI
Iranian keeper Amir Abedzadeh starts in goal behind Takehiro Tomiyasu, Koki Machida, Kim Min Jae, and Sang Woo Kang.
We have placed Eintracht Frankfurt captain Makoto Hasebe alongside his countryman Wataru Endo in midfield. The pair play behind Son Heung Min as our team’s attacking midfielder.
The Tottenham star has Salem Al-Dawsari and Takumi Minamino on the wings, while Mehdi Taremi plays as the team’s target striker.
Who wins an all-star match between Africa and Asia?
There is no shortage of great talents and established stars on either side of the pitch. Both teams have several players in top European clubs, while some players are known for their performances in continental tournaments.
We expect Africa to beat their Asian opponents if we’d be lucky enough to see such a fascinating game. The Africans have more top-class players than their opponents, with their devastating forward line most likely finding enough goalscoring chances behind Asia’s backline.
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