Football was introduced to Africa in the 1800s by the British colonials. The first football match occurred in South Africa in 1861. Football is the most common sport in Africa today, 150 years after its introduction.
African countries have not performed well at international competitions compared to European nations. However, this does not mean we lack world-class talents. Africa has produced tons of good players who have played on some of the biggest teams globally.
Let us dove right into the best African footballers of all time.
1. George Weah
The debate of whether Weah is the greatest African footballer is a hot topic to date. Weah is the only African to win a Ballon d’Or. He is also the sole African to win the European player of the season award.
George has many league titles from Liberia, Italy, and France. He has a long career that saw him play for teams like Chelsea, Manchester City, PSG, Monaco, and AC Millan. However, he had limited awards with the national team due to the quality of players around him.
George went down in history by being named the African player of the century in 1995. Click the Source link for more information.
2. Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba was a menace to defenders in his prime time. He went back to Chelsea in 2013, having a previous spell from 2004-2012. He has great pace and was a lethal striker. Drogba also had a touch of trickery and power in his game that made him a football great.
He was chosen as Chelsea’s best player in 2012 and is their third all-time top scorer. Drogba is well decorated, having won the Premier and Champions League with Chelsea. He scored 29 goals in the 2010-2011 season, and the record is still unbroken.
3. Samuel Eto’o
Eto’o is among the most decorated African player today. He has bagged a whopping five African player of the year award, La Liga, the Champions League, and others. Samuel is also the only player to win trebles with two teams.
He is the all-time top scorer for the Cameroon national team, with sixty goals in 120 caps. Eto’o has played for big clubs like Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Barcelona. He has 350 goals in 700 career games.
4. Abedi Pele
Abedi Pele is a great player who dominated Europe in his prime. He has played in France, Italy, and Germany. Abedi spent two years in Marseille, winning four Ligue 1 titles. He got the name “Pele” from the legend himself because he had a similar playing style.
Pele scored forty times in seventy games for the national team, and his sons have also followed in his footsteps.
5. Jay-Jay Okocha
Jay-Jay Okocha is remembered for what he used to do on the pitch. He has unique moves and trickery that made him a joy to watch. Okocha played outstanding football and always had a smile on his face.
He spent his best season at Bolton Wanderers and remains a legend.
Final Thoughts
African players have dominated the European stage since time immemorial. Today, we have the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly and Sadio Mane on the world’s biggest stage. The above article has discussed the best African players of all time.