Aurélien Chedjou, the Cameroonian defender, has received a significant honor by being the only African player included in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg best XI. UEFA announced this selection on Thursday following the conclusion of the last matches in the second round played on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Chedjou’s exceptional performance against Chelsea (1-1) earned him this recognition. He joins other standout players such as Daniel Alves from FC Barcelona and Dominguez from Olympiakos.
The team also features representatives from Bayern Munich, including Kroos and Lahm, as well as Borussia Dortmund’s Reus and Lewandowski.
Here’s the full lineup:
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (Atlético Madrid)
Defenders: Daniel Alves (Barcelona) Miranda (Atlético Madrid) Aurélien Chedjou (Galatasaray) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Andreas Samaris (Olympiakos)
Forwards: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain)
Chedjou’s inclusion in this prestigious lineup highlights his outstanding performance on the European stage and serves as a testament to his talent and contribution to Galatasaray’s campaign in the Champions League.