Six Ghanaians in Africa's All-Star team

After an impressive outing at their maiden World Cup appearance in Germany last summer, the skipper of the senior national soccer team, the Black Stars, Stephen 'Tonardo' Appiah, toghether with five other teammates have earned a call-up to be part of the continent's All-Star team.

Though players from Ghana and Ivory Coast dominated the list of ninteen players as the got six each, four Black Stars players were selected to be part of the starting eleven as they preapre to play their counterparts from Europe in a date yet to be announced.

The six are, skipper Stephen Appiah, Chelsea's and Africa's most expensive player, Michael Kobina Essien, Turkish-based Black Stars safest pair of hands, Richard 'Oleley' Kingson, stalwat defender, John Mensah, who is based in France, West Ham defender John Paintsil and impressive Udinese midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari.

But surprisingly to many soccer fans especially Ghanaians is the decision to drop our dependable skipper from the starting eleven.

The four stars that made the starting line-up were goalkeeper Richard Kingson, who according to officials got the nod as the gloved one between the post due to his impressive and acrobatic shot stopping in the final quarter against Brazil when the Black Stars had been reduced to ten men was simply breathtaking.

Joining him to make the four are John Mensah, who's towering performances in the World Cup earn him the right to join his colleagues for the starting eleven. Former Liberty Professionals stars Michael Essien and Sulley Ali Muntari joined the pair to make the four, whiles Stephen Appian and John Paintsil starts from the bench.

Also earning a first team place in the European side are the likes of Buffon of Italy, Thierry Henry, Fabio Cannavaro among others.

Though the date for this encounter has not been set, it is believed that it will come off early next year in Germany.

Below are the full list of selected players arranged in order of positions.

Africa, Richard Kingson(Ghana), Emmanuel Eboue (Ivory Coast), Arthur Boka (Ivory Coast), Kolo Toure (Ivory Coast), John Mensah (Ghana), Mahamadou Diarra (Mali), Hayem Trabelsi (Tunisia), Michael Essien (Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Obafemi Martins (Nigeria) and Sulley Muntari(Ghana) making the first eleven.

Others are, Jean-Jacques Tizie (Ivory coast), John Paintsil (Ghana), Joseph Yobo (Nigeria), Stephen Appiah (Ghana), Didier Zakora (Ivory Coast), John Mikel Obi (Nigeria), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Nwanku Kanu (Nigeria) and Dos Santos (Tunisia)

Europe, Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy), Phillip Lahm (Germany), Lilian Thuram (France), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy), Patrick Vieira (France), Steven Gerrand (England), Deco (Portugal), Andriy Shevchenko, (Ukraine), Thierry Henry (France), Christiano Ronaldo (Portugal) making the first eleven.

Others are,Petr Cech (Czech Rep.), Alessandro Nesta (Italy), Charles Puyol (Spain), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Claude Makelele (France), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Wayne Rooney (England), Fernando Torres (Spain) and Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Holland).