Franck Kessié

Franck Kessié is a physically dominant central midfielder who established himself as one of Africa's best players during his time at AC Milan and Barcelona, and captained Ivory Coast to victory at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

After starting at Stella Club d'Adjamé in Ivory Coast, Kessié moved to Atalanta and then joined AC Milan on a permanent basis in 2019. He was a cornerstone of the side that won the Serie A title in 2021–22, before a free transfer took him to Barcelona, where he added a La Liga medal in 2022–23.

A move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia followed, where he won back-to-back AFC Champions League Elite titles. Internationally he surpassed 100 caps and scored in the final as Ivory Coast beat Nigeria to win the 2023 AFCON on home soil, being named in the tournament's best XI.