In brief
Micah Richards, Alan Shearer, and Gary Lineker compiled a list of the top ten African players in Premier League history.
Nwankwo Kanu and Jay-Jay Okocha, for example, made the fans of the teams they represented very happy.
However, there are other celebrities who have had incredibly prosperous football careers in England.
Over the years, the Premier League has seen a number of incredibly gifted African players, making it difficult to pick out the greatest. In an episode of Match of the Day’s Top 10, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards were asked to do precisely this.
In addition to being renowned for their humour and hilarity when talking about football, the three commentators are also quite informed about the beautiful game. They are able to identify the top players since they have all been there and done that.
Shearer and Richards had to order the ten African players from one to ten in this edition of the show. The top two nominees had to be separated by Lineker, who then had the power to cast the decisive vote. Although football is a game of opinions, the following is the outcome of the discussion among the pundits.
10Jay-Jay Okocha
PL Clubs: Bolton Wanderers
Shearer asserted, “I think of someone who was happy,” when he recalled his memories of Jay-Jay Okocha. The players they had at Bolton were amazing. The graceful Nigerian was a sight to behold on the football ground, and his apparent pleasure of the game was a reflection of that.
When Bolton Wanderers signed the attack-minded midfield player from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, many people were taken aback. Despite Okocha’s meagre 14 goals in the English Premier League, Lineker decided to highlight the fact that “He was so skilful.” His influence over his four years with the club may be summed up in those four terms.
The Premier League Stats of Jay-Jay Okocha
A statistic
The number
Games
124
Objectives
14
Helps
11.
9Emmanuel Adebayor
PL Clubs: Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Crystal Palace
Emmanuel Adebayor, one of the players on this list with whom Richards formerly shared a dressing room, had the skill to place higher than ninth. The former teammate of the Togo international stated:
“Someone who is severely underappreciated. Touch and technique were two of Adebayor’s many strengths at Man City. When he became comfortable, he would just stop doing the things he was good at and treat himself.
Naturally, the most memorable incident from his Premier League career had to be mentioned. Although he missed his chance to join the 100-club, Adebayor scored one of the division’s most iconic headers against his old team, Arsenal. In front of the visiting Gunners fans, Richards, who was on the pitch that day, recalled the notorious celebration by saying, “The fastest I’ve ever seen someone run.”
Premier League Statistics for Emmanuel Adebayor
A statistic
The number
Games
241
Objectives
97
Helps
36
8Nwankwo Kanu
PL Clubs: Arsenal, West Brom, Portsmouth
Despite being a lesser-known part of the 2003–04 ‘Invincibles’ team, the forward was a real pain in the ass for opposing defenders. Lineker’s description of the two-time Premier League winner’s dribbling style was brilliant: “He was gangly but graceful at the same time.”
Kanu is among the highest-scoring substitutes in the history of the division, despite his less successful goal-scoring stints at West Brom and Portsmouth. Shearer added, “He was quick with his feet,” expressing gratitude for what he contributed. That’s unbelievable. His technique and control sometimes made it appear effortless.
Statistics for Nwankwo Kanu in the Premier League
A statistic
The number
Games
273
Objectives
54
Helps
29
Titles in the Premier League
2.
7Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
PL Clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea
There was a great deal of expertise in goalkeeping with Shearer and Lineker present, and the latter expressed his admiration for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s clinical style in front of goal by saying, “I have a lot of time for him as a goalscorer, as a finisher, as a striker.” The way it finished at Arsenal was depressing.
The Gabon international’s poor season at the Gunners’ bitter rivals Chelsea preceded this occurrence, and the former England attacker went on to remark: “He was a stunningly good finisher.” After a falling out with Mikel Arteta, the three men thought that Aubameyang’s time in north London had come to a tragic conclusion. However, they also felt that the problem was handled appropriately, since the forward left the Emirates with 68 English top-flight goals for Arsenal.
Premier League Statistics for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
A statistic
The number
Games
143
Objectives
69
Helps
16
Golden Boots of the Premier League
1 (2018–19)
6Michael Essien
PL Clubs: Chelsea
Michael Essien is one of those athletes who contributes greatly but doesn’t get the recognition they merit. The former Chelsea defensive midfielder was underappreciated, according to Richards, who stated: “I just think it’s because he was in a team with Frank Lampard, who scored so many goals, and we just go off goals and assists.”
The trio presented roses to the guy who led the engine room during two different Premier League winning seasons at Stamford Bridge, and Lineker said, “Wonderful, intelligent, really great footballer for Chelsea.” Essien had a long-range rocket in his locker and was a hard-tackling player with pass-picking skills.
Premier League Stats for Michael Essien
A statistic
The number
Games
168
Objectives
17
Helps
10.
Titles in the Premier League
2.
5Riyad Mahrez
PL Clubs: Leicester City, Manchester City
Since the Algerian is somewhat to blame for the Match of the Day host showing up in his pants on the opening episode of the season following Leicester City’s 2015–16 title victory, Lineker will always be loosely linked to Riyad Mahrez. He is highly respected by the former England forward, who said: “He was a beautiful footballer and absolutely pivotal in Leicester’s success.”
Shearer added his thoughts on the former Manchester City star’s dribbling ability to support his colleague’s remarks. The Geordie legend described how difficult it would have been to defend against the five-time Premier League champion:
Because of that stepover, he’s one of those players who is nearly impossible to stop when he’s running at you. may go any way.
Premier League Statistics for Riyad Mahrez
A statistic
The number
Games
284
Objectives
82
Helps
61
Titles in the Premier League
5.
4Yaya Toure
PL Clubs: Manchester City
The panel of analysts felt no need to address the renowned midfielder’s on-field prowess because Yaya Toure was such a great player. Instead, the focus was on his general behaviour when playing with Richards at Man City and the notorious incident of his rage at not receiving a birthday cake.
Behind the person, though, was a fantastic football player who, on his best days, was frequently unstoppable. The strong Ivorian was both physically formidable and technically excellent. On his route to winning three Premier League trophies at the Etihad, he was known for his driving runs into the middle of an opposing midfield before launching a curling effort into the corner of the net.
Premier League Statistics for Yaya Toure
A statistic
The number
Games
230
Objectives
62
Helps
32
Titles in the Premier League
3.
3Sadio Mane
PL Clubs: Southampton, Liverpool
“Diminutive but powerful, quick, super smart, brilliant runs, brilliant movement, can beat players, can score any kind of goal” is how Lineker waxed poetic about Sadio Mane and the player he worked so well with during his time at Liverpool.
The three guys also remarked on how outstanding the Senegal international was while he was at Southampton, where he memorably established the Premier League record for the fastest hat-trick, which remains in place today. Mane scored numerous goals during his amazing tenure at Anfield and won every award he was eligible to.
Premier League Statistics for Sadio Mane
A statistic
The number
Games
263
Objectives
111
Helps
38
Titles in the Premier League
One
Golden Boots of the Premier League
1 (2018–19)
2Didier Drogba
PL Clubs: Chelsea
Richards ranked Drogba second on his list, while Shearer put the Chelsea legend at the top, and it was Lineker who received the decisive vote for the top slot. Richards stated: “He was a nightmare to play against,” and the presenter chose to support him. He was excellent, excellent.
Shearer did a fantastic job of summing the Ivorian’s amazing accomplishments while playing at Stamford Bridge, even though he acknowledged that there wasn’t much separating the top two players: “Four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, nine goals in nine cup finals, Champions League and 177 goals for Chelsea.”
Premier League Statistics for Didier Drogba
A statistic
The number
Games
254
Objectives
104
Helps
55
Titles in the Premier League
4.
Golden Boots of the Premier League
Secondly, 2006/07, 2009/10
1Mohamed Salah
PL Clubs: Chelsea, Liverpool
The ‘Egyptian King’ is undoubtedly the highest-scoring African player of all time, and this ranking is impossible to argue with. As of this writing, his total goal total in the English top division stands at 184, and only four players have surpassed it. Mohamed Salah has scored more than 20 goals in every campaign since joining Liverpool in 2017. Richards was full of admiration for his former teammate, who he spent time with in Italy:
“I assumed he would succeed because I played with him at Fiorentina. He simply never stops grinning. “I’ll be playing for Liverpool, and I’ll be one of the best,” Salah declared at Fiorentina, demonstrating his knowledge from the beginning. He simply had faith in his own abilities. I could see in training that he understood he was going to be [great].
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