The trio of Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Francis Uzoho and retired Odion Ighalo have been listed amongst the nominees for the 2019 FIFPro/CAF Africa Best XI.

The quartet were instrumental in Nigeria’s third place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

While Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi were involved in Nigeria’s 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, Uzoho was missing due to injury and Ighalo had since retired from the national team.

However the Shaghai Shenhua’s performance in Egypt where he scored five goals to finish as the top scorer was enough to earn him a place on the list.

However the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winners Algeria had most nominees on the 55-man list with a total of 10 players.

The 2019 FIFPro/Africa Finest XI will be revealed during the 27th edition of the Caf Awards set for the Albatros Citadel Resort in Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada, Red Sea in Egypt on Tuesday, January 7, 2020.

Full list of nominees:

Goalkeepers: Moez Ben Cherifia, Yassine Bonnou, Mohamed El Shenaway, Sylvain, Gbohouo, Rais M’bolhi, Edouard Mendy, Richard Ofori, Andre Onana, Denis Onyango, Francis Uzoho.

Defenders: Youcef Atal, Serge Aurier, Mehdi Benatia, Ahmed El-Mohammadi, Lamine Gassama, Faouzi Ghoulam, Achraf Hakimi, Ahmed Hegazi, Kalidou Koilibaly, Christian Luyindama, Issa Mandi, Joel Matip, Noussair Mazraoui, Yassine Meriah, Youssouf Sabaly.

Midfielders: Andre-Frank Anguissa, Ismael Bennacer, Sofiane Feghouli, Idrissa Gueye, Tarek Hamed, Alex Iwobi, Wahbi Khazri, Naby Keita, Franck Kessie, Wilfried Ndidi, Riyad Mahrez, Thomas Partey, Mubarak Wakaso, Victor Wanyama, Hakim Ziyech.

Forwards: Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Jordan Ayew, Anis Badri, Cedric Bakambu, Youcef Belaili, Baghdad Bounedjah, Odion Ighalo, Sadio Mane, Moussa Marega, Mbaye Niang, Nicolas Pepe, Mohamed Salah, Islam Slimani, Percy Tau, Wilfried Zaha.