Who are the successful African footballers in England?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as different players have achieved different levels of success in terms of trophies, goals, awards and influence. However, based on some of the criteria mentioned above, here are some of the names that could be considered as successful African footballers in England:

– *Didier Drogba* (Ivory Coast): The legendary striker won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and one Champions League with Chelsea, scoring 104 goals in 254 appearances. He was also named African Footballer of the Year twice and is widely regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation .

– *Mohamed Salah* (Egypt): The current Liverpool star has been a prolific scorer since joining the Reds in 2017, netting 108 goals in 162 games and winning the Premier League Golden Boot twice. He also helped Liverpool end their 30-year wait for a league title in 2020, as well as lifting the Champions League trophy in 2019. He has won three African Footballer of the Year awards and is one of the most popular players in the world .

– *Riyad Mahrez* (Algeria): The tricky winger was a key part of Leicester City’s fairy-tale title triumph in 2016, scoring 17 goals and providing 11 assists. He was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year and African Footballer of the Year that season, becoming the first Algerian to win both accolades. He then moved to Manchester City in 2018 and has since added three more Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four League Cups to his collection .

– *Yaya Toure* (Ivory Coast): The powerful midfielder was a dominant force for Manchester City between 2010 and 2018, winning three Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup. He scored 62 goals in 230 games, including 20 in the 2013-14 season when he was named African Footballer of the Year for the fourth time. He also captained Ivory Coast to their second Africa Cup of Nations title in 2015 .

– *Sadio Mane* (Senegal): The speedy forward has been a vital part of Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp, forming a formidable partnership with Salah and Roberto Firmino. He has scored 97 goals in 217 games for the Reds, winning the Premier League, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. He shared the Premier League Golden Boot with Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019 and was named African Footballer of the Year in 2020 .

These are just some of the examples of successful African footballers in England, but there are many more who have made their mark on the Premier League over the years, such as Nwankwo Kanu, Michael Essien, Kolo Toure, Jay-Jay Okocha, Tony Yeboah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang .

What are some other leagues?

The Premier League is not the only league where African footballers have excelled. There are many other leagues around the world where players from Africa have shown their skills and won trophies. For example:

– *La Liga* (Spain): Some of the most famous African players who have played in Spain include Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), who won three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues with Barcelona; Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast), who also played for Barcelona before moving to Manchester City; Thomas Partey (Ghana), who won La Liga with Atletico Madrid in 2021; and Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), who currently plays for Real Madrid.

– *Serie A* (Italy): Some of the most notable African players who have played in Italy include George Weah (Liberia), who won Serie A with AC Milan and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1995; Mohamed Salah (Egypt), who played for Roma before joining Liverpool; Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal), who is one of the best defenders in Europe and plays for Napoli; and Victor Osimhen (Nigeria), who is a rising star at Napoli.

– *Bundesliga* (Germany): Some of the most prominent African players who have played in Germany include Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), who won the Bundesliga Golden Boot with Borussia Dortmund in 2017; Naby Keita (Guinea), who played for RB Leipzig before joining Liverpool; Serge Gnabry (Ivory Coast), who is a key player for Bayern Munich and Germany; and Amadou Haidara (Mali), who is a promising midfielder for RB Leipzig.

– *Ligue 1* (France): Some of the most successful African players who have played in France include Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), who started his career at Le Mans and Guingamp before moving to Marseille and Chelsea; Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), who played for Le Havre before joining Leicester City and Manchester City; Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast), who played for Angers and Lille before moving to Arsenal; and Kylian Mbappe (Cameroon), who is one of the best players in the world and plays for Paris Saint-Germain.

Written by Daniel Elombah

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