Top 10 Most Decorated African Footballers of All Time

June 24, 2025

1. Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)

Samuel Eto’o is widely regarded as the greatest African footballer of all time, boasting an unmatched trophy cabinet. He made history as the first player to win back-to-back European Trebles—with Barcelona (2009) and Inter Milan (2010)—under Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho, respectively.

🏆 Club Trophies: 18

UCL (3): Barcelona (2006, 2009), Inter Milan (2010)
La Liga (3), Serie A (1), Copa del Rey (1), Coppa Italia (1), FIFA Club World Cup (1)
🌍 International: AFCON (2000, 2002), Olympic Gold (2000)
🎖 Individual: 4× African Player of the Year

2. Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast)
Yaya Toure
Yaya Toure was a powerful midfielder who combined strength with technical brilliance. He enjoyed a brilliant career in Spain and England.
🏆 Club Trophies: 15
- UCL (1): Barcelona (2009)
- Premier League (3), La Liga (2), FA Cup (1), Copa del Rey (1)
  🌍 International: AFCON (2015)
  🎖 Individual: 4× African Player of the Year
- 3. Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
- Mohamed Salah has redefined African football in Europe, becoming Liverpool’s all-time Premier League top scorer and a global superstar. After a rocky stint at Chelsea, he exploded at AS Roma (2016-17) before joining Liverpool, where he broke the Premier League single-season scoring record (32 goals in 2017-18). Salah has since won the Champions League (2019), Premier League (2020), FA Cup, EFL Cup, and Club World Cup
- 🏆 Club Trophies: 15
  - UCL (1): Liverpool (2019)
  - Premier League (1), Serie A (2), FA Cup (2), EFL Cup (1)
    🌍 International: AFCON Runner-up (2017, 2021)
    🎖 Individual: 2× African Player of the Year, Premier League Golden Boot (3x)
- 4. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
- Didier Drogba is Chelsea’s greatest-ever African player, embodying leadership, clutch performances, and sheer dominance. His 88th-minute header in the 2012 Champions League final and winning penalty in the shootout cemented his legendary status. At Chelsea, he won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and three League Cups, becoming their top African scorer (164 goals). Drogba also excelled at Marseille (winning Ligue 1’s Player of the Year in 2004) and Galatasaray (Süper Lig title in 2013).
  
  For Ivory Coast, Drogba was a symbol of hope, leading the Elephants to two AFCON finals (2006, 2012)—though they lost both on penalties
- 🏆 Club Trophies: 16
  - UCL (1): Chelsea (2012)
  - Premier League (4), FA Cup (4), Turkish Süper Lig (1)
    🌍 International: AFCON Runner-up (2006, 2012)
    🎖 Individual: 2× African Player of the Year
  - 5. Sadio Mané (Senegal)
    
    Sadio Mané rose from humble beginnings in Senegal to become one of the world’s best wingers. At Liverpool, he formed a devastating trio with Salah and Firmino, winning the Premier League (2020), Champions League (2019), FA Cup, and Club World Cup. His move to Bayern Munich added a Bundesliga title (2023) to his collection. Mané’s versatility, work rate, and knack for crucial goals (like his 2019 Golden Boot tie with Salah) made him indispensable.For Senegal, Mané was the catalyst for their 2021 AFCON triumph, scoring the winning penalty in the final and ending their trophy drought. He also led them to the 2022 World Cup Round of 16, proving Africa’s rising competitiveness. Individually, he won the 2022 African Player of the Year and has been a Ballon d’Or nominee multiple times, showcasing his elite status.
  - 🏆 Club Trophies: 19
    - UCL (1): Liverpool (2019)
    - Premier League (1), Bundesliga (1), FA Cup (1), AFCON (1)
      🌍 International: AFCON (2021)
      🎖 Individual: African Player of the Year (2022)
    - Nwankwo Kanu
    - Kanu achieved what most African players only dream of – winning the UEFA Champions League with Ajax (1995) at just 18 years old, followed by an Olympic gold medal with Nigeria (1996) where he scored the golden goal in the final. At Arsenal, he became an integral part of the legendary “Invincibles” squad (2003-04) that went unbeaten in the Premier League, adding 2 league titles and 3 FA Cups to his collection. His technical brilliance and iconic celebration made him a fan favorite across Europe.
      
      For Nigeria, Kanu was instrumental in their 1994 AFCON triumph and captained the Olympic team to glory in 1996. Despite battling a heart condition early in his career, he won two African Player of the Year awards (1996, 1999) and became one of Africa’s most respected ambassadors in football. His legacy extends beyond trophies – Kanu’s humanitarian work through his heart foundation has saved countless lives.
    - 🏆 Club Trophies: 13
      - UCL (1): Ajax (1995)
      - Premier League (2), FA Cup (3), UEFA Cup (1)
        🌍 International: Olympic Gold (1996), AFCON (1994)
        🎖 Individual: African Player of the Year (1996, 1999)
  - 7. Michael Essien (Ghana)
  - Michael Essien made history as Chelsea’s most expensive African signing (£24.4m in 2005) and delivered immediately, winning two Premier League titles and four FA Cups. His most iconic moment came when he scored a 30-yard Champions League stunner against Barcelona (2009), though Chelsea were controversially eliminated. Essien later became the first Ghanaian to win the Champions League (2012 with Chelsea), though injuries limited his role in the final.
    
    For Ghana, Essien was the engine of their golden generation, reaching the 2010 AFCON final and becoming Africa’s first World Cup quarter-finalists (2010). Though injuries robbed him of longevity, his 2005 BBC African Player of the Year award and FIFA FIFPro World XI nomination (2007) prove his world-class peak.
  - 🏆 Club Trophies: 14
    - UCL (2): Chelsea (2012), Real Madrid (2014*)
    - Premier League (2), FA Cup (4), Ligue 1 (1)
      🌍 International: AFCON Runner-up (2010)
  - 8. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
  - Riyad Mahrez authored one of football’s greatest underdog stories – leading Leicester City (5000-1 outsiders) to the 2016 Premier League title with 17 goals and 11 assists, winning PFA Players’ Player of the Year. At Manchester City, he became the first African to win the English domestic treble (2018-19) and added a Champions League trophy (2023) to his cabinet. His silky dribbling and clutch performances made him Pep Guardiola’s go-to big-game player.
    
    For Algeria, Mahrez cemented his legend by captaining them to AFCON 2019 glory, scoring a last-minute free-kick winner in the semifinal and being named Tournament MVP. His 2016 African Player of the Year award and 50+ international goals place him among Africa’s elite wingers of all time.
  - 🏆 Club Trophies: 15
    - Premier League (4), FA Cup (2), AFCON (2019)
      🌍 International: AFCON (2019)
      🎖 Individual: African Player of the Year (2016)
  - 9. John Obi Mikel (Nigeria)
  - John Obi Mikel’s career took a dramatic turn when he chose Chelsea over Manchester United in a 2006 transfer saga, going on to win two Premier League titles and four FA Cups. His defining moment came in Munich 2012, where his defensive masterclass helped Chelsea win their first Champions League against Bayern. Mikel reinvented himself from a creative #10 to a world-class defensive midfielder under Mourinho.
    
    With Nigeria, Mikel won AFCON 2013 as the tournament’s best midfielder and captained the team to 2016 Olympic bronze. His 89 caps and leadership during Nigeria’s golden era (2010-2018) make him one of their most decorated players ever, despite often being underrated globally.
  - 🏆 Club Trophies: 12
    - UCL (1): Chelsea (2012)
    - Premier League (2), FA Cup (4), AFCON (2013)
      🌍 International: AFCON (2013)
  - 10. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
  - Aubameyang made history as the first African to win the Bundesliga Golden Boot (31 goals in 2016-17) with Dortmund, breaking a 39-year club scoring record. At Arsenal, he became captain and won the 2020 FA Cup, scoring twice in the final. Though his later career declined, his hat-trick vs Valencia (2019 Europa League semifinal) and 2023 La Liga title with Barcelona added to his legacy.
    
    For Gabon, Aubameyang carried a small nation to relevance, winning 2012 African Player of the Year and becoming their all-time top scorer (30+ goals). His blistering pace and iconic goal celebrations made him one of Africa’s most marketable stars of the 2010s.
  - 🏆 Club Trophies: 9
    - Bundesliga (1), FA Cup (1), La Liga (1)
      🎖 Individual: African Player of the Year (2015), Bundesliga Golden Boot (2017)