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20 Players With African Roots Playing At Euro 2016

20 Players With African Roots Playing At Euro 2016

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The 2016 European Championships are underway in France, and many of the players who are representing European nations have African roots.

Some were born in Africa, while others have parents that call the African continent home. Either way, all of the featured players in this slideshow could have been playing for African national teams instead of their European sides.

We profile 20 players and the national teams that they could be representing if they had chosen Africa rather than Europe.

Source: Eurosport, UEFA, TheIndependent, TheGuardian, Telegraph.

Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba is a French international – espn.co.uk

Paul Pogba

At Euro 2016 they are representing: France

African team that they could have represented: Guinea

Marouane Fellaini
Marouane Fellaini could have played for Morocco – sports.yahoo.com

Marouane Fellaini

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Belgium

African team that they could have represented: Morocco

David Alaba (90min.com)
David Alaba playing for Austria (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images)

David Alaba

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Austria

African team that they could have represented: Nigeria

William Carvalho
Carvalho was born in Angola – thepeoplesperson.com

William Carvalho

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Portugal

African team that they could have represented: Angola

Stephan El Shaarawy
Stephan El Shaarawy represents the Azzurri – express.co.uk

Stephan El Shaarawy

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Italy

African team that they could have represented: Egypt

Dele Alli
Dele Alli is an English international – telegraph.co.uk

Dele Alli

At Euro 2016 they are representing: England

African team that they could have represented: Nigeria

N’Golo Kanté
A star is born in N’Golo Kanté – dailymail.co.uk

N’Golo Kanté

At Euro 2016 they are representing: France

African team that they could have represented: Mali

François Moubandje
Swiss player François Moubandje could be an Indomitable Lion – alchetron.com

François Moubandje

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Switzerland

African team that they could have represented: Cameroon

Danilo Pereira
Danilo Pereira of Portugal – express.co.uk

Danilo Pereira

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Portugal

African team that they could have represented: Guinea

Portugal international Éder
Portugal international Éder – (EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES)

Éder

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Portugal

African team that they could have represented: Guinea-Bissau

Christian Kabasele
Christian Kabasele (sudinfo.be)

Christian Kabasele

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Belgium

African team that they could have represented: Congo

Bacary Sagna
Bacary Sagna is a veteran French player – africatopsports.com

Bacary Sagna

At Euro 2016 they are representing: France

African team that they could have represented: Senegal

Divock Origi
Divock Origi representing Belgium – express.co.uk

Divock Origi

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Belgium

African team that they could have represented: Kenya

Patrice Evra
Patrice Evra is as experienced as they come – huffingtonpost.co.uk

Patrice Evra

At Euro 2016 they are representing: France

African team that they could have represented: Senegal

Steve Mandanda
Steve Mandanda will be backup keeper – Goal

Steve Mandanda

At Euro 2016 they are representing: France

African team that they could have represented: Congo

Luis Nani
Luis Nani has been a great contributor for Portugal – express.co.uk

Luis Nani

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Portugal

African team that they could have represented: Cape Verde

Angelo Ogbonna
Ogbonna may represent the Azzurri in June – thehardtackle.com

Angelo Ogbonna

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Italy

African team that they could have represented: Nigeria

Jerome Boateng
Jerome Boateng is an established German international – zeenews.india.com

Jerome Boateng

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Germany

African team that they could have represented: Ghana

Blaise Matuidi
French international of Angolan descent, Blaise Matuidi – basketsession.com

Blaise Matuidi

At Euro 2016 they are representing: France

African team that they could have represented: Angola

Sami Khedira
Sami Khedira could have played for Tunisia – dailystar.co.uk

Sami Khedira

At Euro 2016 they are representing: Germany

African team that they could have represented: Tunisia