The 2024-25 season is in the books for the world's top leagues, with Africa's star players currently contesting the final international break of the campaign before setting off for some well-earned vacation.
ESPN Africa's Ed Dove looks back over the last 10 months and reveals his all-African men's Team of the Season for 2024/25. The obvious names, like Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen, are there, but who else should be here?
Goalkeeper: Édouard Mendy
One of several high-profile African stars in the Saudi Pro League, Mendy made up for last season's disappointments by playing a key role as Al-Ahli clinched the first Asian Champions League in their history by dispatching Kawasaki Frontale in last month's final.
Mendy was imperious during the competition, and was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament after preserving a clean sheet in the final. He only conceded twice though the knockout stages, and victory meant that he became - alongside Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino - one of only three players to win both the UEFA and the AFC Champions Leagues.
Domestically, Matthias Jaissle's side had the third-best defence in the division, and Mendy's 13 clean sheets was bettered only by Al-Qadsiah's Koen Casteels. In April, the Senegal international also became the goalkeeper with the second most clean sheets in the league's history.
Right back: Achraf Hakimi
From some strong showings for Morocco at the 2024 Olympics to opening the scoring for Paris Saint-Germain in their triumphant Champions League final romp past Internazionale, it's been a stunning campaign for Hakimi.
In that showing against Inter in Munich, he set the tone for an urgent, vibrant, historic PSG victory, having also scored against Arsenal and Aston Villa in the previous two rounds.
Hakimi - nominally a defender, don't forget! - also scored in PSG's French Cup final victory over Stade de Reims to complete a domestic double after Luis Enrique's side cruised to the Ligue 1 crown.
The fullback was unsurprisingly named in the division's Team of the Season for a third consecutive year, and is a genuine contender for a maiden African Footballer of the Year award.
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Centre backs: Wilfried Singo and Ousmane Diomande
African champions together last February with the Ivory Coast, defenders Singo and Diomande have improved significantly over the intervening year and ought now be considered among the continent's finest centrebacks.
The 24-year-old Singo excelled during AS Monaco's run to the Champions League knockouts (at least until that 3-3 draw with Benfica), with his performances against Bologna and Villa particularly notable.
In both matches he was peerless as Les Monegasques registered clean sheets, and netted the only goal of the game against the Villains as Adi Hutter's side extended their continental campaign.
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are among the clubs linked to his signature.
Also tipped for a Premier League move is Sporting Lisbon's Diomande, with a reunion with ex-head coach Ruben Amorim being widely mooted in the UK media.
Still only 21, he's become a true defensive leader for the Portuguese giants this season - stepping into the shoes vacated by Sebastián Coates - and was duly rewarded with a second consecutive domestic title.
Diomande remains prone to inconsistency, but don't be surprised to see him make our African XI again in one year's time, whether that be at United or another of his suitors, with Crystal Palace, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Chelsea among those identified as potential destinations in the press.
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Left back: Rayan Aït-Nouri
One player already on the move this summer is Algeria's Ait-Nouri, who has become the latest component of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City rebuild as he arrives at the Etihad Stadium in a £31 million deal.
He was a near-ever-present for Wolves last season during a troubled year for the Old Gold, although no Premier League defender had a direct hand in more goals than Ait-Nouri (11) as he played a key role in the Midlanders' revival under Vitor Pereira.
It will be fascinating to see how Guardiola can develop his game and harness his attacking instincts at Eastlands.
Midfielder: André-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Another domestic champion this season, Anguissa was at the heart of Napoli's successful bid to return to the pinnacle of the Italian game, with the Cameroon international picking up a second Serie A winner's medal after the glories of 2023.
The 29-year-old was arguably more influential this season than he was two years ago, having a hand in 10 goals during the campaign - six of which he scored himself - while forging a excellent partnership with Scott McTominay.
Anguissa was the league's Player of the Month for January, further establishing himself as one of the great midfield generals of the world game.
Midfielder: Ismail Saibari
Morocco's Saibari is coming off the back of his best season yet where he was an essential component of Peter Bosz's PSV Eindhoven as they overhauled Ajax to win the Eredivisie crown.
A champion last season, the 24-year-old took his game to new heights this term, contributing 22 goals (11 scored, 11 assisted) in 29 Dutch league outings, while also scoring in Champions League victories over Liverpool and Juventus.
You won't find too many better individual performances all campaign than Saibari's two-goal, two-assist masterclass in the 6-1 evisceration of FC Twente in early December, and he fully deserved his nomination for Eredivisie Player of the Season.
Expect Saibari, who was once axed by Anderlecht for being overweight, to establish himself at one of Europe's genuine giants over the next 18 months.
Forward: Omar Marmoush
Squeezing into our dream team ahead of Bryan Mbeumo, Marmoush may have ultimately been part of a miserable campaign for Manchester City, but his own individual qualities shone through emphatically either side of his January move to the Premier League.
The Egypt forward had scored 15 goals in 17 Bundesliga outings at that point - surpassing his impressive form from last season - and was on course to rival Harry Keane for the league's Golden Boot as his combination of instinctive attacking play and immense physical gifts proved too much for German defences.
The 26-year-old wasn't able to revive City's flagging fortunes...at least not yet...but he was an instant hit upon his arrival for €75 million, with a hat-trick in the mid-February demolition of Newcastle United a window into how the coming years could look with Marmoush in tandem with Erling Haaland in the Sky Blues' attack.
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Forward: Mohamed Salah
An absolute shoo-in for this team, Salah has gone close to delivering a Ballon d'Or-worthy season for Liverpool, overcoming intense speculation about his future amidst a contract impasse with his club to inspire Arne Slot's side to their 20th league crown.
Perhaps there was none of the virtuoso performances of late 2021, nor were his numbers quite as searing as they had been during his debut season at Anfield, but 29 goals represents an awesome top flight return (not least for a 32-year-old), while he also smashed his career-best return for assists in a league season.
Indeed, only three players in Prem history have ever registered more than Salah's 18 assists in a single league campaign.
Records aplenty fell during a remarkable season, and Liverpool fans will be delighted that they get to enjoy their talisman a little longer on Merseyside.
Forward: Ademola Lookman
The reigning African Footballer of the Year picked up where he left off this season, with dazzling displays and eye-catching goal returns to keep Atalanta competitive both domestically and in Europe.
Indeed, the 27-year-old was among the UEFA Champions League's most impressive players this season, scoring five in seven and regularly showcasing the quality of his crossing ability as the Italians reached the knockouts.
In the Italian Serie A, he inspired La Dea to equal their best ever top flight placement (third), with only two players scoring more than his return of 15 and only two bettering his total goalscoring chances created during the course of the season (61).
Bubbling over with creativity and menace, expect Lookman to attract transfer attention this summer, with Barcelona named as one potential destination.
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Striker: Victor Osimhen
When Osimhen swapped Napoli for Galatasaray at the start of the season, it was considered something of an anticlimactic move in some corners given the rumours linking the Super Eagles frontman to some of the world's biggest clubs.
A blockbuster transfer may yet happen this summer, but 24-25 has certainly been a memorable - and goal-laden - chapter in the 26-year-old's storied career.
He was immediately adored by the Gala supporters, and repaid them with 26 goals in 29 league outings as the Turkish giants finished 11 points ahead of Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce to win the Super Lig crown.
Only three players registered more than Osimhen's six goals in the Europa League and the former African POTY has done his future prospects no harm as he finds himself once again in the shop window.
Honourable mentions:
Yahia Fofana, Evan Ndicka, Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi, Antoine Semenyo, Bryan Mbeumo, Iliman Ndiaye, Yoane Wissa, Ayoub El Kaabi, Tolu Arokodare, Promise David, Youssef En-Nesyri, Abderrazak Hamdallah, Serhou Guirassy