2.Kalidou Koulibaly
Senegal’s hopes of another World Cup quarter-final rest on defensive solidity from Kalidou Koulibaly alongside moments of magic from Sadio Mané. You know this central back from his fantastic season at his club, Napoli.
Those who have watched Koulibaly at the heart of Napoli’s defence this season will not have been surprised by the 26-year-old’s impressive performance. He has been outstanding for Sarri’s team this season, providing the rock-solid foundation on which the team’s breathtakingly intricate attacking football is based. He was also responsible for the most exciting moment of their season – scoring a dramatic late header against Juventus to blow the Scudetto title race wide open – only for Napoli to drop points in their next two games and eventually finish second.
Having scored 4 times for Napoli this season, this towering defender is also a threat at the other end. His calm yet commanding presence at the back made him a front-runner of the African Player of the Year, only losing out to the impeccable Mohamed Salah.
No wonder, Koulibaly will be quite a treat to watch when Senegal battles out in June.These talents were on full display in Moscow against Poland. Koulibaly had numerous opportunities to demonstrate his passing ability, while he impressed coping with Poland’s aerial threat.
In short, it was a display that demonstrated perfectly why he would surely excel in the Premier League. Against Poland, Koulibaly got the basics right: confident under the high ball, dragging his team-mates into position and marshalling Lewandowski throughout.
Factor in the more expansive, elaborate side of his game that he has exhibited in the Serie A this season, and it becomes clear why clubs such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been linked with a £60m move.