To decide the kings of European football, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain will face each other in Munich on May 31. The Italian side powered past FC Barcelona in the semi-finals by sneaking an incredibly late goal to make it 6-6 on aggregate and then slotting away the extra-time winner.
For the team hailing from the French capital, a conclusive 1-0 win against Arsenal was followed up by a spell on the back foot and a somewhat scary end to the second leg, but a final and well-earned 3-1 overall win. Now, we get to see how these two high-powered giants fare when they meet in the UEFA Champions League Final.
Here, we’re zooming in on a handful of players who’ve played a significant role in the success of their teams this season. This is the ranking of the most valuable players of African descent who helped their teams to reach the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Final.
Bradley Barcola, €70m (French-Togolese)
Born to a French mother and a Togolese father in Lyon, Bradley Barcola ranks as the most valuable player of African descent to feature for one of the two European finalists. Still only 22-years-old, he first came to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 and has become a common feature for the club this season.
To the time of writing, Barcola had played 55 games this season to score 19 goals and 17 assists, predominantly playing off of the left wing but also popping up on the right and through the middle. He may not start in the final that sees his team as the -154 favourites for anyone who likes a football bet, but his lightning speed could factor off of the bench.
Achraf Hakimi, €65m (Moroccan-Spanish)
Considered by many to be the best right back in the world right now and the worthy winner of the prestigious player of the year award for African players in Ligue 1, Achraf Hakimi is the standout African international of this Champions League Final. He tormented Arsenal relentlessly in the semi-finals, and all while working back consistently.
In Ligue 1, with the title secured a long time ago, the hard-working Moroccan has been given plenty of rest before the trip to Munich. Despite being a right back and sometimes saved for the big games in Europe and France’s domestic cups, Hakimi was still able to score seven goals and set up 14 more in 45 games.
Yann Bisseck, €30m (German-Cameroonian)
Standing over 6’4’’, in 2023, Inter Milan picked up Yann Bisseck from Danish team Aarhus Gymnastikforening in a rather subtle move. The centre back of Cameroonian descent played fleetingly that season, but in 2024/25, he burst through the ranks to become a regular along the Italian side’s backline.
Still only 24-years-old, the German has played 43 games for Inter this season, even scoring a couple of goals and a few assists along the way. Inter have had to battle to the very end in Serie A and continue to do so in Europe, and through it all, Bisseck has been key.
African representation at this year’s Champions League final is a bit fleeting, but at the very least, the continent’s and possibly the world’s best right back will be on show.
