African football might not be as developed as football in the first world or latin American countries but through out football history, Africa has produced a couple of incredible players. Here is a list of ten greatest African footballers of all times.
10. Kanu NwankwoThe Nigerian has competed in three World Cups for his country. Kanu has won an Olympic gold medal. With Ajax, he won the Eredivisie three times and the Champions League once.
The striker was also a member of Arsene Wenger’s ‘The Invincibles’ Arsenal team in 2003-04.He was also twice named African Footballer of the Year.
9. Abedi peleAbedi Pele, an often forgotten African player, earns a spot on this list for his outstanding performance for Olympique Marseille in the 1993 Champions League. They became the first French club to win the UCL Trophy thanks to his exceptional offensive abilitiees.
Which was no small feat considering the competition.He led the Ghanaian national team and was the country’s third-highest goal scorer. He also led his team to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1992, where he was named best player of the tournament.
8. Roger Milla An iconic figure in African football history, having won the African Player of the Year award twice. Milla, who is famous for his signature smile, unrivaled charisma, and a lot of dancing, started his career late and didn’t really gain his stride until he was 38 years old, when many other footballers would have retired!Milla had a fascinating and varied career in French Championship, but it’s his impact in his national team that truly distinguished him. In 1990, he assisted the team in reaching the World Cup Quarterfinals.
7. Jay-Jay OkochaJay-Jay Okocha has an excellent career, having won an African Cup of Nations, an Olympic medal, and the French Super Cup. He had tremendous ball speed and could runs controlled dribble,
Landing him at several top European clubs. The German Eintracht Frankfurt and the French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain were among these clubs.He is widely regarded as one of the best Nigerian footballers of all time, having led his country to the World Cup first round in 1994
6. Yaya Toure He was a fantastic midfielder who used to like scoring goals from the center of the field. His title haul began with Barcelona, when he won the Champions League and La Liga, attracting interest from a number of big European clubs, including Manchester City.
Toure was a key figure in the development of contemporary Manchester City, helping them win three league titles and the FA Cup in 2011.He won the African Cup of Nations with the national team in 2015, and he has twice been named African Footballer of the Year.
5. Sadio ManeSadio mane achieve success with Liverpool having won 4 major trophies with the club, Mane provided dynamism and quickness in the attacking third.Liverpool bought him after seeing his performances with Southampton and Red Bull Salzburg. He is the only player in Premier League history to score a quickest hat trick for the Saints against Aston Villa in 2014.He is now the third most African goal scorer in the Premier League, with 100 goals.He won the AFCON this year with his national side, Senegal, after reaching the final in 2019.
4. Didier DrogbaThe Chelsea legend is next on our list of the greatest African footballers! During his stay in England, no player in the Premier League has had a bigger influence than him. He was a key player for the Blues, earning a slew of domestic awards.After single-handedly leading Chelsea to Champions League triumph in 2012, he was awarded Chelsea’s finest player in 2012. He’s also twice been named African Footballer of the Year.
3. Mohammed SalahOn joining Liverpool in 2017, Mo made an immediate impact and has since developed into a dangerous striker.Only club icon Ian Rush has scored more goals in all competitions than Mo Salah did in his record-breaking 2017/2018 season. He holds two Golden Boots, a PFA POTY title, and a Champions League and PL winners medal with Liverpool.Mohamed Salah recently became the only African player to score the most goals in the Premier League.He led Egypt to the FIFA World Cup 2018 and the African Cup of Nations final in 2017 and 2022.
2. George weahWeah, known as “King George” for his football prowess, was one of the greatest African footballers of the late 1990s. His football prowess saw him win numerous trophies with AC Milan, PSG Monaco, and Chelsea.
In 1995, he became the first African to win the Ballon d’Or, European Footballer of the Year, and FIFA World Player awards.Weah was from Liberia, he served as an inspiration to many African footballers.He was known for his quickness and flair at scoring goals.
1. Samuel eto’oArguably one of the greatest and most decorated African footballers to ever grace the pitch, the Cameroon international won three UCL titlesHe was the only African footballer to have been named African player four times more than George weah, Abedi Pele, Didier,
He also picked up a gold medal with Cameroon at Sydney Olympics making his nation only African side to secure a gold medal. He has been honoured with the African Cup of Nations all-time top scorer and is the only player to have scored 55 goals in 112 caps for Cameroon.