Chelsea loanees Traoré and Atsu named to CAN 2017 Team of the Tournament

Neither Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso) nor Christian Atsu (Ghana) managed to win the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations tournament — they faced each other in the third place match, with Burkina Faso nabbing the 1-0 victory — but they did collect individual recognition in the form of getting named to the Team of the Tournament.

Atsu was also named to the Team of the Tournament in 2015, when he also collected the best player award. That recognition this time around went to 21-year-old forward Christian Bassogog of champions, Cameroon. He currently plies his trade at AaB in Denmark but perhaps not for too long. Former Chelsea player Mohamed Salah was also named in the best 11.

The CAN 2017 Team of the Tournament in full:

GK — Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon / Sevilla B on loan from Gimnàstic)
D — Kara Mbodji (Senegal / Anderlecht)
D — Ahmed Hegazy (Egypt / Al Ahly)
D — Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui (Cameroon / Slavia Prague)
M — Charles Kaboré (Burkina Faso / FC Krasnodar)
M — Daniel Amartey (Ghana / Leicester City)
M — Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso / Ajax on loan from Chelsea)
M — Christian Atsu (Ghana / Newcastle on loan from Chelsea)
M — Mohamed Salah (Egypt / AS Roma)
F — Christian Bassogog (Cameroon / AaB)
F — Junior Kabananga (DR Congo / Astana)

Congrats to all, especially to the Chelsea kids, and especially to Traoré, who may yet even have a shot at the Chelsea first-team next season.