In brief
Since 1992, a number of outstanding African football players have dominated the Premier League.
One quickly thinks of the game’s icons, such as Yaya Toure, Mohamed Salah, and Didier Drogba.
Based on a number of ranking criteria, such as longevity, trophies, goals scored, and more, the top 20 have been arranged in order.
Some of the best African football players of the last thirty or more years have played in the Premier League. When considering the African players that have dominated English football since 1992, names like Didier Drogba, Mohamed Salah, and Yaya Toure instantly come to mind.
These players, along with numerous more from the continent, have contributed to the Premier League being perhaps the greatest football division in the world and one of the most valuable sporting brands in the world. However, which African players from the Premier League era are the best?
We’ve put together an extensive list that considers a number of rating criteria, such as goals, longevity, individual honours, and so forth. See the complete list of rating factors below.
Factors that rank
We carefully considered the following when creating the top 20 list:
Individual Awards Longevity Trophies Goals Help Clean Sheets (Goalkeepers/Defenders)
The Premier League’s Top 20 African Players
Rank
The player
Place
The country
Clubs
One
Salah Mohamed
Winger
Egypt
Liverpool and Chelsea
2.
Toure Yaya
A midfielder
The Ivory Coast
City of Manchester
3.
Didier Drogba
Attacker
The Ivory Coast
Chelsea
4.
Mane Sadio
Winger
Senegal
Liverpool and Southampton
5.
Mahrez Riyad
Winger
Algeria
Manchester City and Leicester City
6.
Essien, Michael
A midfielder
Ghana
Chelsea
7.
The Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick
Attacker
Gabon
Chelsea and Arsenal
8.
Jay-Jay Okocha
A midfielder
Nigeria
Bolton
9.
Toure Kolo
Protector
The Ivory Coast
Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal
10.
Adebayor, Emmanuel
Attacker
Togo
Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Manchester City, and Arsenal
11.
Zaha, Wilfried
Winger
The Ivory Coast
Manchester United, Cardiff City, and Crystal Palace (loan)
Twelve
Kanu Nwankwo
Attacker
Nigeria
Portsmouth, West Brom, and Arsenal
13.
Lauren
Protector
Cameroon
Portsmouth and Arsenal
14
Mikel, John Obi
A midfielder
Nigeria
Chelsea
15.
Ayegbeni Yakubu
Attacker
Nigeria
Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Middlesbrough, and Portsmouth
16
McCarthy, Benni
Attacker
South Africa
West Ham and Blackburn Rovers
17
Yeboah, Tony
Attacker
Ghana
Leeds United
18
Kalou, Salomon
Attacker
The Ivory Coast
Chelsea
19.
Radebe, Lucas
Protector
South Africa
Leeds United
20
Pienaar, Steven
Winger
South Africa
Sunderland, Tottenham, and Everton
20Steven Pienaar
Clubs: Everton, Tottenham, Sunderland
The South Africa international had moments when he was outstanding, especially at Everton, where he played his greatest game, even though he wasn’t always outstanding throughout his stint in the Premier League. In January 2011, the talented winger passed up Chelsea to sign with Tottenham, but his transfer to White Hart Lane didn’t work out.
Pienaar was only able to make a few games at Spurs before returning to Goodison Park on loan and eventually joining the Toffees permanently. If he had chosen to transfer to Stamford Bridge rather than Tottenham, he might have placed higher on this list of African greats, but nobody will ever know.
Premier League statistics for Steven Pienaar
Looks
214
Objectives
20
Helps
32
19Lucas Radebe
Premier League clubs: Leeds United
After being relegated in 2004, Leeds United spent nearly 20 years outside of the top division of English football, but the team’s fortunes weren’t always that dire. During his eleven-year tenure in West Yorkshire, Lucas Radebe led the team to the 2000 Champions League semifinals.
Even after the South African centre-back turned down a move to Old Trafford, Ferguson, the former manager of Manchester United, was a huge fan. Between 1992 and 2003, Radabe also played for South Africa 70 times, contributing two goals during that time. Even if he hasn’t won a Premier League championship, he was unquestionably a top defender in his prime.
Premier League statistics for Lucas Radabe
Looks
197
Objectives
0
Helps
0
Clean Sheets
57
18Salomon Kalou
Premier League clubs: Chelsea
Because he played a majority of his time at Chelsea as a replacement, Salomon Kalou doesn’t usually receive much credit. Nevertheless, the Ivorian forward was a manager’s dream because of his outstanding performance when it came to having an effect from the bench. While many football players suffer if they don’t start every game, Kalou was always eager to contribute when asked.
In Kalou’s final game for the west London team, Chelsea won their first-ever Champions League trophy, four FA Cups, and the Premier League once during his six years there. It’s a good way to say goodbye.
The Premier League stats for Salomon Kalou
Looks
156
Objectives
36
Helps
23
Premier League championships
One
17Tony Yeboah
Premier League clubs: Leeds United
Tony Yeboah is among the greatest players in the league when it comes to consistently scoring goals of the highest calibre. Highlights of some of the incredible goals the Ghanaian scored during his two and a half years playing football for Leeds United in England will have been seen by even younger Premier League fans.
Who could forget his incredible volley that struck the crossbar and crashed in against Liverpool? During his tenure at Elland Road, the striker was a clear favourite among the supporters, scoring about one goal every two games.
The Premier League stats of Tony Yeboah
Looks
47
Objectives
24
Helps
3.
Awards for Player of the Month
2. (September 1995, March 1995)
16Benni McCarthy
Premier League clubs: Blackburn Rovers, West Ham
Benni McCarthy joined Blackburn Rovers in 2006, just a few years after he and Porto, under Jose Mourinho’s leadership, won the Champions League. Although he got off to an exciting start, his move to the 1995 Premier League winners didn’t exactly go as planned.
His debut season’s 18 goals were sufficient to persuade supporters that he will produce even better goals in the future. That didn’t exactly work out, though. In 2010, McCarthy moved back to his home country of South Africa to play out his remaining years after leaving Rovers for West Ham.
Premier League statistics for Benni McCarthy
Looks
120
Objectives
37
Helps
6.
15Yakubu Ayegbeni
Clubs: Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, Blackburn Rovers
“The Yak will score if you feed him.” During his tenure in the Premier League, he accomplished that on 95 occasions. In the history of the league, only 35 players have scored more goals than Yakubu Ayegbeni, which is quite remarkable considering he never played for one of England’s top teams.
Before winning a transfer to Portsmouth in 2003, the Nigerian striker initially attracted attention in the Champions League with Israeli team Maccabi Haifa. Before relocating to China in 2012, the stocky center-forward played for a number of other English teams after quickly establishing his ability to score goals in the Premier League.
Statistics for Yakubu Ayegbeni in the Premier League
Looks
252
Objectives
95
Helps
26
14John Obi Mikel
Premier League clubs: Chelsea
It remains one of the most bizarre stories in football: After appearing certain to sign with Manchester United, John Obi Mikel joined Chelsea; the Blues were accused of “kidnapping” the player during talks. The player later denied the allegations, though. Together with the previously mentioned Kalou, the Nigerian midfielder won the Premier League thrice and the Champions League during his little less than ten years with the London team.
Breaking up rival attacks and passing the ball to the forward-thinking players around him were essential for the position of defensive midfielder. He was an excellent operator, as evidenced by the fact that he made over 300 appearances during a time when Chelsea had an abundance of midfield skill.
Statistics for John Obi Mikel in the Premier League
Looks
249
Objectives
One
Helps
10.
Titles in the Premier League
2.
13Lauren
Premier League clubs: Arsenal, Portsmouth
Lauren had a good career in England after replacing long-time right-back Lee Dixon at Arsenal. The Cameroon international finally made his way into discussions regarding the greatest players in his position in Premier League history after being a member of the storied ‘Invincibles’ squad of 2003–04.
Lauren was even a member of Portsmouth’s winning squad in the 2007–08 FA Cup season, which defeated Cardiff City in the final, West Brom in the semifinals, and Manchester United in the quarterfinals. After a brief stay with Cordoba in Spain, he finished his career in 2010.
The Premier League stats of Lauren
Looks
184
Objectives
2.
Helps
8.
Clean Sheets
63
Titles in the Premier League
2.
12Nwankwo Kanu
Premier League clubs: Arsenal, West Brom, Portsmouth
It was difficult to understand how 6′ 6″ Nwankwo Kanu managed to move so gracefully and elegantly on the football ground. After winning several Dutch championships and the Champions League with Ajax, he had a lacklustre stint with Inter Milan until being signed by Arsene Wenger in 1999.
Before he and Lauren won the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008, the Nigerian striker gained two league crowns with Arsenal to his collection of trophies. One of the Premier League’s greatest cult heroes, Kanu is frequently spotted playing with a broad smile on his face and is entertaining to watch when he’s feeling good.
Premier League statistics for Nwankwo Kanu
Looks
273
Objectives
54
Helps
29
Titles in the Premier League
2.
11Wilfried Zaha
Premier League clubs: Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Cardiff City (loan)
Wilfried Zaha was born in Ivory Coast, but he has played for both England and the African nation on the international front. After an unsuccessful transfer to Manchester United, he eventually returned to Crystal Palace, where he became one of the most entertaining wingers in the Premier League. Before choosing to join Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray in 2023, he achieved legendary status with the Eagles. He is currently on loan at Lyon.
Every time the electrifying winger had the ball at his feet, Premier League supporters were expecting something to happen. He will always hold a particular place in the hearts of every Palace fan, even though he chose to leave Selhurst Park and English football.
Premier League statistics for Wilfried Zaha
Looks
305
Objectives
68
Helps
29
Awards for Player of the Month
1 (April 2018)
10Emmanuel Adebayor
Premier League clubs: Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham, Crystal Palace
From being an idol to the Arsenal supporters, Emmanuel Adebayor became an enduring foe of the team. The Togolese striker solidified his place among the Premier League’s elite attackers with thirty goals in his first season in England.
After making a spectacular move to Manchester City in 2009, he scored against his old team and created one of the most famous (and notorious) celebrations in Premier League history. He ran the entire length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the angry travelling Arsenal supporters. Adebayor then went to bitter rivals Tottenham in 2012, just when everyone believed he could not further damage the Gunners’ reputation.
Premier League statistics for Emmanuel Adebayor
Looks
241
Objectives
97
Helps
36
9Kolo Toure
Premier League clubs: Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool
Kolo Toure, who has played in two consecutive undefeated seasons (once with Arsenal and once with Scottish powerhouse Celtic), is frequently disregarded when discussing the top defenders of his generation.
Before leaving the league in 2016, Toure was a reliable back for both Manchester City and Liverpool in addition to his stellar play at Arsenal. A year after his stint at Celtic, the former Ivory Coast international retired from playing and went on to become a coach, working for Brendan Rodgers at both Celtic and Leicester City. He also managed Wigan Athletic for a while, although the Latics lost all nine of his games under his leadership.
The Premier League statistics for Kolo Toure
Looks
352
Objectives
Twelve
Helps
10.
Clean Sheets
108
Titles in the Premier League
2.
8Jay-Jay Okocha
Premier League clubs: Bolton Wanderers
Undoubtedly one of the most flamboyant and entertaining players of the Premier League era, Jay-Jay Okocha is so excellent that he was nominated twice. Supporters of Bolton Wanderers would do anything to return to the early 2000s, when Sam Allardyce was their manager and they had players like Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff, and Fernando Hierro.
Bolton fans never got weary of seeing Okocha, who is arguably their most talented player ever, perform at Reebok Stadium. The Nigerian player’s free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to the English team was unexpected, but he didn’t let anyone down while he was there.
The Premier League stats of Jay-Jay Okocha
Looks
124
Objectives
14
Helps
11.
Awards for Player of the Month
1 (November 2003)
7Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Premier League clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored 69 goals throughout stints with Chelsea and Arsenal, with all but one of those goals coming for the red-clad London team. The former Borussia Dortmund player shown his versatility and finishing ability during his turbulent time in England by playing at the Emirates Stadium as both a central striker and a left-winger.
It wasn’t a major surprise when the former Gabon captain left Stamford Bridge for Marseille in 2023 because his time at Chelsea was a painful failure. He only managed one goal in 15 Premier League appearances, which was incredibly low for a striker of his calibre.
Premier League statistics for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Looks
143
Objectives
69
Helps
16
Awards for Player of the Month
2 (September 2019; October 2018)
Golden Boot in the Premier League
1 (2018–19)
6Michael Essien
Premier League clubs: Chelsea
Indefatigable midfielder Michael Essien played a key role for Chelsea in the mid-to-late 2000s and early 2010s, winning a tonne of awards in his nine years in west London. The former Ghanaian international had won the Premier League twice, four FA Cups, the League Cup, and the Champions League by the end of his career at Stamford Bridge.
The remarkable influence Essien made during his tenure at the top level, especially early on at Chelsea, was more than enough to keep him near the top of this list, even though injuries ended his career a little earlier than anticipated.
Premier League statistics for Michael Essien
Looks
168
Objectives
17
Helps
10.
Titles in the Premier League
2.
5Riyad Mahrez
Premier League clubs: Leicester City, Manchester City
During his time playing English football, Riyad Mahrez was one of the Premier League’s most talented wingers. He played a significant role in Manchester City’s historic treble-winning team in the 2022–2023 season. Mahrez, who was reminiscent of offensive wide men from earlier eras, was always eager to rush at the opposition full-back to set up opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Along with N’Golo Kante and Jamie Vardy, Mahrez was arguably the greatest player in Leicester City’s historic Premier League title victory in 2016. In 2023, he departed England for Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia, having won five Premier League winners’ medals.
The Premier League statistics for Riyad Mahrez
Looks
284
Objectives
82
Helps
61
Titles in the Premier League
5.
4Sadio Mane
Premier League clubs: Southampton, Liverpool
Sadio Mane, one of the best Premier League players of the late 2010s and early 2020s, just loses out on a spot in the top three, demonstrating the sheer number of excellent African football players who have graced the league throughout the years.
The Senegalese international started his career in the Premier League with Southampton, where he set a record in May 2015 by scoring the fastest Premier League hat-trick ever in a scorching two minutes and 56 seconds. When Louis van Gaal was in charge at Old Trafford, Mane was linked to a move to Manchester United. However, he ultimately joined the Red Devils’ bitter rivals, Liverpool, where he played a key role in the Reds’ first league championship in thirty years. With 111 goals, the forward is the second-highest scoring African player in Premier League history.
Premier League statistics for Sadio Mane
Looks
263
Objectives
111
Helps
38
Awards for Player of the Month
3 (March 2019, November 2019, August 2017)
Golden Boot in the Premier League
1 (2018–19)
Titles in the Premier League
One
3Didier Drogba
Premier League clubs: Chelsea
Few could have predicted when Chelsea signed Didier Drogba in 2004 that the Ivorian would go on to become one of the most recognisable forwards in Premier League history and possibly the best player the Blues have ever had.
African legend Drogba will always be among the first names brought up in discussions regarding Chelsea’s greatest players since the Premier League’s founding, despite his periods of unreliability, especially when he initially signed. Only 31 players in history have scored more goals in England’s top division (since 1992) than Drogba, who has 104 top-flight goals, all of which have been scored for the Blues.
Premier League statistics for Didier Drogba
Looks
254
Objectives
104
Helps
55
Golden Boot in the Premier League
Secondly, 2006/07, 2009/10
2Yaya Toure
Premier League clubs: Manchester City
It wasn’t a major surprise when Yaya Toure signed with Manchester City in 2010—a time when other elite players were also being enticed to the Etihad Stadium—because, despite his success at Barcelona, he never felt like he was valued at Camp Nou. The former Ivory Coast international ended up dominating the Premier League and winning Man of the Match accolades for fun, but at the time, it felt like a coup for City.
In addition to being one of the most physically intimidating players in Premier League history, Toure was also one of the most technically talented players we have ever had the honour of witnessing. He is a massive midfielder.
Statistics for Yaya Toure in the Premier League
Looks
230
Objectives
62
Helps
32
Titles in the Premier League
3.
1Mohamed Salah
Premier League clubs: Chelsea, Liverpool
It would be a huge understatement to suggest that Mohamed Salah has surpassed expectations since joining Liverpool. Since joining the Reds from AS Roma in 2017, he has been nothing short of extraordinary. Due to his prior struggles at Chelsea, there were originally concerns when Jurgen Klopp signed the Egyptian attacker. However, the world-class forward quickly made an impression at Anfield.
Salah scored his 150th goal in just 247 games, becoming him the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history. The only players that accomplished that feat more quickly were Thierry Henry, Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero, and Alan Shearer. Among the best players in the Premier League’s history? Definitely.
Premier League statistics for Mohamed Salah
Looks
283
Objectives
175
Helps
82
Golden Boot in the Premier League
In 2017–18, 2018–19, and 2021–2022,
Seasonal Player of the Year
1 (2017–18)
Titles in the Premier League
One
