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Who are the top 10 best African players of all time? Football’s global stage is dominated by European and Latin American players, but don’t forget the significant contributions from the African continent.
Africa has given football some of its most iconic players who have generated magical moments for their teams and countries.
There is no shortage of talent in African football, but who are the best footballers to ever come out of this continent?
Top 10 best African players of all time
See Premier League Team With Most African Players as well as Top 10 Most Educated Footballers In Africa.
Here’s a look at the top 10 best African players of all time who have set new standards for generations to come.
10. Sadio Mane – Senegal
African football has seen some of the best players to grace a field in its history.
To name a few, Sadio Mane hails from the remote village of Bambali and made a name for himself with FC Metz, before joining Southampton and then transferred to Liverpool.
He won the Champions League with the Merseyside club in 2019 and shared the Premier League Golden Boot award with Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
In 2021, Mane was part of Senegal’s AFCON-winning squad, cementing his reputation as one of Africa’s greatest ever players.
9. Mohamed Salah – Egypt
Superstar Mohamed Salah has had a spectacular career so far, having been signed by English Premier League giants Liverpool after impressive stints with AS Roma and Chelsea.
Salah quickly rose to prominence in Merseyside, winning the Premier League title and the Champions League in his first two seasons at the club.
He also picked up individual accolades, winning the Golden Boot twice during that period and being awarded the PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2018.
8. Jay-Jay Okocha – Nigeria
Augustine Azuka Okocha, more commonly known as Jay-Jay Okocha, is an iconic figure in Nigerian football. Born in 1973, he is one of the most famed and lauded ex-professional players to have played for Nigeria.
An expert attacking midfielder, Okocha was widely recognized for his unrivaled dribbling technique and strength and was one of Africa’s preeminent goal getters.
His first foray into the world of professional football came from Enugu Rangers FC, a club based in Eastern Nigeria, before making a name for himself at both state and international level.
To this day, Jay-Jay Okocha remains one of the greatest African footballers ever produced.
7. Yaya Toure – Ivory Coast
Yaya Toure is one of the greatest African footballers of all time. He has achieved success both on a global and national level, having won several African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, and multiple league titles and the Champion’s League trophy while with FC Barcelona and Manchester City.
His immense strength, vision, and knack for goal scoring helped him win four African Footballer of the Year awards throughout his illustrious career.
In fact, during the 2013-14 season he managed an incredible 20 league goals for Manchester City – a truly remarkable feat.
6. Abedi Pelé – Ghana
Abedi Ayew was a renowned attacking midfielder who achieved several football accolades during his illustrious career.
He won the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with the Ghanaian national team—the Black Stars—and was named the Player of the Tournament.
Later in his career, he achieved international success while playing for Marseille, claiming three consecutive Ligue 1 titles from 1991 to 1993, as well as the UEFA Champions League title in 1993 where he was declared Man of the Match.
In addition, Ayew was awarded African Footballer of the Year on three occasions.
5. Nwankwo Kanu – Nigeria
Nwankwo Kanu is a retired Nigerian footballer who was born on August 1, 1976 and holds the National Honor of OON.
During his professional football career, he played forward for clubs like Ajax, Arsenal, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion and Inter Milan.
His accomplishments included winning a UEFA Champions League medal, UEFA Cup medal, three FA Cup medals, two African Player of the Year awards and titles such as the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Cup.
As one of Africa’s greatest footballers ever, Kanu’s achievements are truly remarkable!
4. Roger Milla – Cameroon
Roger Milla, a Cameroon international football player, has achieved remarkable feats in the world of football.
Recently, he was honored as the second greatest African player in the last 100 years by IFFHS.
He had a part to play in making history for Cameroon such as bringing them to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1990 and scoring against Russia when he was already 42 years old.
In addition, his performances earned him two African Footballer of the Year awards and guiding Cameroon to two AFCON titles.
3. George Weah – Liberia
George Weah is, without question, one of the greatest African footballers ever.
His remarkable accolades include Ballon d’Or, European Footballer of the Year, FIFA World Player of the Year and two-time African Footballer of the Year.
On top of his impressive list of accomplishments in club football- which includes two Serie A titles with AC Milan and an FA Cup win with Chelsea- Weah was even crowned IFFHS’s best African player of the twentieth century! To top it all off, he is currently serving as President of Liberia.
2. Didier Drogba – Ivory Coast
Didier Drogba was a major part of Chelsea’s triumphant “golden generation”, alongside fellow players Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech.
The Ivorian forward will forever be admired by Chelsea supporters for his late header in the Blues’ 2012 Champions League final win against Bayern Munich, and his winning penalty in the shoot-out.
He also picked up four Premier League titles with Chelsea during his time there, and came out as the highest goalscorer in both the 2006/07 and 2009/10 league seasons.
Drogba is one of African football’s most respected names, having been honoured twice by winning the African Footballer of the Year award – though he did not manage to pick up an international title with Ivory Coast.
1. Samuel Eto’o – Cameroon
Highly decorated football star Samuel Eto’o is the first and only Cameroonian to achieve four African Player of the Year awards and an Olympic gold medal.
With Olymipic success and three Champions League titles (two with Barcelona, one with Inter Milan) under his belt, plus two winning goals in major finals, it is no wonder why he is so well-respected in the football world.
Showcasing his unrelenting strength and pace, Eto’o continues to hold the record of being AFCON’s and Cameroon’s all-time highest goal scorer.
His iconic role in Barcelona’s 2008-2009 tripple winning season will never be forgotten. He is without a doubt the greatest African footballer ever.
