RANKING. Top 21 greatest African footballers of the 21st century according to Dailysports
Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
Africa has given us many legendary footballers who have left an indelible mark on the history of the sport. Players from this continent can be found in some of the world's best and most powerful clubs.
Choosing the greatest footballer of all time is no easy task, but our team at Dailysports has prepared and proudly presents the top African footballers of the 21st century.
21. Benni McCarthy
A striker for the South African national team who played for several top European clubs. Notably, he was part of José Mourinho's Porto team that won the UEFA Champions League in the 2003/04 season. Beyond that, he also played for Ajax, Blackburn, and Orlando Pirates. McCarthy has won league titles in Portugal and the Netherlands, various domestic cups, and, importantly, in 1998 helped South Africa reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. Unfortunately, they couldn’t clinch the title, but McCarthy emerged as his team’s best striker in the tournament. It’s worth mentioning that Benni remains South Africa’s all-time leading scorer with 31 goals.
20. Kalidou Koulibaly
A central defender for the Senegalese national team, who is still an active player. Currently 33 years old, Koulibaly plays for Al-Hilal but rose to prominence during his time in Naples. From 2014 to 2022, he represented Napoli in 233 matches and was a key leader of the team. In Italy, his silverware includes a Coppa Italia and a Supercoppa Italiana. He is also the captain of the Senegal national team. Koulibaly played a significant role in Senegal’s silver-medal finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and their triumph in the 2021 edition of the tournament. In 2022, he was honored in Senegal with the Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion award.
19. Asamoah Gyan
A Ghanaian footballer who never played for the big or top clubs, yet played a crucial role in helping Ghana stay at the top of African football. He won three Africa Cup of Nations medals. Unfortunately, none of them were gold, but he earned two silvers and one bronze. Over the course of his international career, he scored 51 goals in 109 appearances.
He also helped Ghana reach the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, where his team was eliminated in a penalty shootout. After the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, he made the decision to retire from international football.
18. Frédéric Kanouté
A Malian footballer best remembered for his time at Sevilla. Although Kanouté also played for Tottenham, Lyon, and West Ham, it was with the Andalusian side that he left his most lasting impression. During his tenure with Sevilla, he played 209 matches and scored 89 goals. Kanouté achieved significant success with the club, winning the Spanish Super Cup, two UEFA Cups, the Copa del Rey twice, and the UEFA Super Cup in 2006. In 2007, he was named African Player of the Year.
17. Victor Osimhen
The second active player on this list, Osimhen is currently on loan at Galatasaray. The Nigerian striker is owned by Napoli, where he rose to prominence. In 108 games for the Neapolitans, Osimhen scored 65 goals and was instrumental in their Serie A title win during the 2022/23 season. He was also named Serie A Player of the Season that year. Osimhen has helped the Nigerian national team secure a bronze medal in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and a silver medal in 2023. At just 25 years old, his career still holds the promise of even greater success.
16. Lauren Etame
A Cameroonian footballer who gained widespread recognition for his performances with Arsenal. Lauren spent six years with the London club, playing 159 matches and becoming a key defender. He was a vital part of the team’s unbeaten Premier League title-winning campaign in 2003/04. With Arsenal, he won two league titles, three FA Cups, and two Community Shields. Lauren also had a successful international career with Cameroon, winning Olympic gold in 2000 and back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2000 and 2002. Despite his success, his international career was relatively short, ending in 2002 after just five years with the national team.
15. Essam El-Hadary
A goalkeeper who spent only one season in Europe but still cemented his place in African football history. El-Hadary played in five Africa Cup of Nations finals, winning the tournament four times with Egypt in 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010. His achievements also include CAF Champions League victories, CAF Super Cups, and the Arab Super Cup. He became the oldest player ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup match when he played against Saudi Arabia in 2018 at the age of 45 years and 161 days. During the same match, he saved a penalty, becoming the first African goalkeeper to do so in World Cup history.
14. Kolo Touré
An Ivorian footballer who played for several European giants, including Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool. The bulk of his career was spent with Arsenal from 2002 to 2009, where he made 225 appearances. Touré helped the Gunners win the Premier League in the 2003/04 unbeaten season, secure FA Cups, and reach the UEFA Champions League final in 2005/06.
He also won the Premier League with Manchester City in the 2011/12 season, the club’s first-ever league title. With the Ivory Coast national team, Touré won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 and earned silver medals in 2006 and 2012. He retired from international football in 2015 and ended his playing career in 2017.
13. Nwankwo Kanu
A Nigerian footballer who played for many top European clubs. Kanu won the UEFA Champions League with Ajax in the 1994/95 season and the UEFA Super Cup shortly after. He also lifted the UEFA Cup with Inter Milan and was part of Arsenal’s 2003/04 "Invincibles" squad. With Portsmouth, he won the FA Cup in 2008. Kanu is the African footballer with the most club trophies, boasting 16 titles.
With Nigeria, he won gold at the 1996 Olympics, a silver medal at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, and four bronze medals (2002, 2004, 2006, 2010). However, he never won a gold medal at the AFCON. Twice named African Player of the Year, Kanu retired from football in 2012.
12. John Obi Mikel
A Nigerian defensive midfielder renowned for his career at Chelsea. Mikel joined the Blues in 2006 and spent 11 seasons with the club. During his time in London, he won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and the Community Shield.
With the Nigerian national team, he won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013. At Chelsea, Mikel was twice named Young Player of the Year and was honored as Nigeria’s Sportsman of the Year in 2013. He retired from football in 2022.
11. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
A Gabonese striker who has played for several top European clubs. Aubameyang won the DFB-Pokal with Borussia Dortmund, the FA Cup with Arsenal, and La Liga with Barcelona. He is a legend of Gabonese football, serving as captain and the all-time leading scorer for the national team. Aubameyang is also the top scorer in UEFA Europa League history (since 2009).
In 2015, he was named African Player of the Year. He remains an active player, currently representing Al-Qadisiyah in Saudi Arabia. Despite his strong club career, Aubameyang has not won any titles or medals with the Gabonese national team, though he has participated in the Africa Cup of Nations five times.
10. Seydou Keita
A Malian footballer who participated in seven Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, earning two bronze medals. Keita began his career in France but reached the peak of his fame at Barcelona under Pep Guardiola. He was a key contributor to the team, playing 119 matches over four years at Camp Nou.
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With Barcelona, Keita won three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, the Spanish Super Cup three times, two UEFA Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups, and two FIFA Club World Cups. He also won a bronze medal at the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup with Mali’s youth team. In 2011, he was named Mali’s Sportsman of the Year.
9. Rigobert Song
A Cameroonian defender who didn’t play for Europe’s biggest clubs but made his mark through his performances for the national team. Rigobert Song holds the record for the most appearances for the Cameroon national team and participated in four FIFA World Cups (1994, 1998, 2002, and 2010). He won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, in 2000 and 2002, and reached the final again in 2008.
Song also helped Cameroon reach the final of the 2003 Confederations Cup, where they finished as runners-up after topping a group that included Brazil and defeating Colombia in the semifinals. He retired from international football in 2010 after a 17-year career. On March 1, 2022, he was appointed head coach of the Cameroon national team at the initiative of President Paul Biya. He held the position until February 2024.
8. Emmanuel Adebayor
A striker and undoubtedly the greatest player in the history of Togo. Adebayor first gained recognition at Monaco, where he played 78 matches and scored 18 goals over three years, including a run to the UEFA Champions League final. He went on to represent Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Tottenham.
Adebayor became a national hero for Togo by scoring 11 goals during the 2006 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers, becoming the top scorer in the campaign and leading Togo to its first-ever World Cup appearance. Over a 19-year international career, he made 87 appearances for Togo and scored 32 goals. Adebayor was named Togo’s Player of the Year four times and was crowned African Player of the Year in 2008.
7. Riyad Mahrez
One of the greatest players in Algeria's football history, Mahrez has also excelled at the club level. He was a key figure in Leicester City's miraculous Premier League title win in 2016. Later, he joined Manchester City, where he won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and, most notably, the UEFA Champions League. Mahrez made his debut for the Algerian national team in 2014 and played in the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
He also participated in several Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. In 2019, as the team's captain, he scored four goals and led Algeria to victory in the tournament. Currently, Mahrez plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ahli. In 2016, he was named the CAF African Footballer of the Year.
6. Sadio Mané
One of Senegal's greatest players and a global football star, Mané enjoyed his best years at Liverpool. He played 196 matches for the Reds, scoring 90 goals. Mané helped Liverpool win their first Premier League title in 30 years, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. He later spent a season at Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga and the DFL-Supercup.
Currently playing for Al-Nassr, Mané recently won the Arab Club Champions Cup. For Senegal, he debuted in 2012 and has scored 41 goals in 103 appearances. He led the team to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final and secured the title in 2021. Individually, Mané finished fourth in the 2019 Ballon d'Or rankings, second in 2022, and earned top-five finishes in the FIFA The Best Men's Player award in 2019 (fifth place) and 2020 (fourth place).
5. Michael Essien
A Ghanaian midfielder who first gained recognition at Lyon, where he won two Ligue 1 titles. In 2005, Essien moved to Chelsea, where he spent the majority of his career, making 168 appearances and becoming a key player in midfield. With Chelsea, he won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League in 2012. Essien was twice awarded Chelsea's Goal of the Season, in 2006/07 and 2008/09.
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Internationally, he was a vital part of Ghana's national team, helping them to a third-place finish at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Cup and a runner-up spot at the 2001 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Essien made his senior debut in January 2002 and represented Ghana in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and two FIFA World Cups (2006 and 2010). Despite his contributions, he never won the Africa Cup of Nations, earning bronze in 2008 and silver in 2010.
4. Yaya Touré
One of the two greatest players in the history of the Ivory Coast national team, Touré was a dynamic midfielder who starred for Barcelona but truly flourished at Manchester City, where he spent eight years. He was instrumental in helping City win their first-ever Premier League title, a feat he repeated twice more. In the 2013/14 season, he scored 20 goals and provided nine assists for City, a remarkable achievement for a midfielder.
Touré was named African Footballer of the Year four times and captained the Ivory Coast to victory in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, after which he retired from international football. In total, he earned 102 caps and scored 19 goals for his country. Touré’s career also included league titles in Spain, England, and Greece. He won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona but never managed to achieve the same feat with Manchester City. He retired from professional football in 2020.
3. Mohamed Salah
Currently ranked third in this list, Mohamed Salah, at 32 years old, remains active with Liverpool, and his future achievements could see him climb even higher. Salah is a true icon and leader for both Liverpool and the Egyptian national team. He joined Liverpool in 2017, reaching the UEFA Champions League final the following year.
Salah played a key role in Liverpool's Premier League and Champions League triumphs, scoring 163 goals in 262 appearances for the club. He has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times: in 2018 (outright), in 2019 (shared with Sadio Mané and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang), and in 2022 (shared with Son Heung-min). Salah surpassed Didier Drogba as the all-time leading African scorer in Premier League history.
For Egypt, Salah has made 103 appearances, scoring 59 goals, although he has yet to win the Africa Cup of Nations. In 2021, he reached the final but fell to Senegal in a penalty shootout. Despite this, Salah is a symbol of national pride in Egypt and was included in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in 2019. Known as the "Fourth Pyramid" and "The Pride of the Arabs," Salah is adored across the Arab world and credited with increasing Liverpool’s popularity in Egypt.
2. Didier Drogba
Arguably one of the most underappreciated players post-retirement, Didier Drogba earned his fame at Chelsea. Then-manager José Mourinho convinced owner Roman Abramovich to sign him, a decision that proved invaluable. Drogba became a leader and one of the greatest players in Chelsea’s history. For a long time, he held the record as the highest-scoring African player in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, until Mohamed Salah surpassed him. With Chelsea, Drogba won four Premier League titles, several FA Cups, and Community Shields.
Drogba’s defining moment came in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, where he scored the equalizer in the 88th minute and netted the decisive penalty in the shootout to secure Chelsea’s first-ever Champions League title.
Internationally, Drogba is Côte d’Ivoire’s all-time top scorer, although he never won the Africa Cup of Nations, losing in the final twice. He’s a national hero on and off the pitch. In 2005, Drogba helped Côte d’Ivoire qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup and made a heartfelt plea for peace during the country’s civil war. His efforts contributed to a ceasefire agreement in 2007.
Drogba was appointed a UN Goodwill Ambassador that same year and received the "Humanitarian Beyond Sport" award in 2011 for his contributions to peace efforts and his foundation, which supports health and education initiatives across Africa. He was also included in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in 2010.
1. Samuel Eto'o
Considered the greatest African footballer by the Dailysports team, Samuel Eto'o remains the only African player to win two consecutive trebles with different teams: Barcelona in 2008/09 and Inter Milan in 2009/10. He was named African Player of the Year a record four times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2010).
Eto’o began his career at Real Madrid before playing for Barcelona, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Everton, and several other clubs. His most successful stint was at Barcelona, where he scored 108 goals in 144 matches and won two UEFA Champions League titles.
For Cameroon, Eto'o was equally remarkable, scoring 56 goals in 118 appearances. He won Olympic gold in 2000, silver at the 2003 Confederations Cup, and two Africa Cup of Nations titles (2000, 2002). Eto'o is the all-time leading scorer in AFCON history (18 goals), Cameroon’s all-time leading scorer, and third in total appearances for the national team.
Over his club career, Eto’o scored 293 goals in 587 matches. He retired from international football in 2014 and from professional football in 2019. Since December 11, 2021, he has served as president of the Cameroon Football Federation.
