Sportlineng top 10 Africa most decorated players
African players have surely made their marks in European club football, from Daniel Amokachi scoring the first ever goal in the UEFA Champions League to Abedi Pele becoming the first African to win the Champions League in 1993 with Olympique Marseille.
Others have won the League titles in two or more European countries; Samuel Eto’o with Barcelona and Inter, Dideir Drogba with Chelsea and Galatasary and Yaya Toure with Barcelona, Manchester City and Olympiacos.
Definitely their impacts will forever be talked about.
Here are sportlineng top 10 Africa most decorated players based on major titles won with their European Clubs.
1. Didier Drogba
He scored in all the cup finals he played in as a Chelsea player except for the Capital One Cup final last year against Tottenham Hotspur. He has won the African player of the year twice (2006, 2009).
He won Premier League golden boot in 2006-07 and 2009-10, UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match in 2012 and FWA Tribute Award to name a few of his individual awards.
He has won 4 Premier League titles 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 4 FA Cup titles 2004–05, 2006–07, 2014–15, 3 Capital One Cup 2004–05, 2006–07, 2014–15, 1 Turkish Süper Lig 2012–13, 1 Türkiye Kupası 2013–14 and 1 UEFA Champions League 2011–12.
A total of 14 major titles, 12 of the titles were with Chelsea and 2 during his time at Galatasary in Turkey.
2. Yaya Toure
The Manchester City midfielder who is the only African player to have won the league titles in three different countries having won with Olympiacos, Barcelona and Manchester City comes 2nd on the list.
Yaya has won the African Footballer of the Year awards on four different occasions (2011,2012, 2013, 2014).
He has won a total of 15 major titles 1 Super League Greece 2005-06, 1 Greek Cup 2005-06, 2 La Liga 2008–09, 2009–10, 1 Copa del Rey 2008–09, 1 UEFA Champions League 2008–09, 1 UEFA Super Cup 2009, 1 FIFA Club World Cup 2009, 2 Premier League 2011–12, 2013–14, 1 FA Cup 2010–11, 2 Capital One Cup 2013–14, 2015–16.
2 in Greece with Olympiacos, 8 with Barcelona and 5 with Manchester City.
3. Samuel Eto’o
The African Cup of Nations all time top scorer definitely has a place on the list. Arguably the most decorated African player if titles and individual awards were considered.
He is the only African player to have won the Champions League with 2 different clubs having won with Barcelona and Inter Milan. He is a four-time winner of the African Footballer of the year award ( 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010).
He was 3rd best player in the world in 2005, the highest by any African since George Weah won the award in 1995. He is an Olympic gold medalist, won Pichichi Trophy in 2006.
He is RCD Mallorca, Cameroon and African Cup of Nations All-Time Top Scorer. He is the only African to have played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Samuel Eto definitely one African who should be on this list with a total of 13 major titles 2 Copa del Rey (2002-03, 2008-09, 3 La Liga 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 3 UEFA Champions League 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 1 Serie A 2009–10, 2 Coppa Italia 2009–10, 2010–11, 1 FIFA Club World Cup 2010.
African Cup of Nations twice 2000, 2002.
4. Kanu Nwankwo
Papillo has to be on the list, he was a key member of the historic Ajax 1995 Champions League winning squad and also the captain of Nigeria Dream Team who won the Olympic gold medal at Atlanta 1996 beating football power houses Brazil and Argentina in the semi and final respectively.
3 Eredivisie 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1 UEFA Champions League 1994–95, 1 UEFA Super Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup 1995, 1 UEFA Cup 1997-98, 2 Premier League 2001–02, 2003–04, 3 FA Cup 2001–02, 2002–03, 2007–08.
Kanu was a member of the Arsenal 2003-04 invincible squad, twice African Footballer of the year award winner (1996, 1999). He also won the Nigerian Premier League with Iwuanyanwu Nationale in 1992-93.
5. Samuel Kuffour
Now an analyst, but each time I see him talk I remember the Champions League Final against Manchester United the picture of Lothar Matthaus begging the inconsolable Osei comes to my head.
With 6 Bundesliga titles and Champions League winners medal to his name Osei deserves a mention on this list.
Samuel Osei Kuffour 12 major titles: 6 Bundesliga 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05, 4 DFB Pokal 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2002–03, 2004–05, UEFA Champions League 2000–01, Intercontinental Cup 2001
6. Seydou Keita
The former Barcelona and Sevilla star makes our list. With a total of 12 major winners’ medals including 2 Champions League winners’ medals surely you can’t but mention the Malian Super Star.
1 Coupe de France 2001–02 , 3 La Liga 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2 Copa del Rey 2008–09, 2011–12, 2 UEFA Champions League 2008–09, 2010–11, 2 UEFA Super Cup 2009, 2011, 2 FIFA Club World Cup 2009, 2011.
7. John Mikel Obi
The 2005 U-20 World Cup Silver football winner behind Lionel Messi deserves a mention on this list. Mikel Obi who was twice African young player of the year (2005-06) and twice Chelsea young player of the 2007-08 definitely makes the cut.
He has a total of 10 major winners’ medals all at Chelsea: 2 Premier League 2009–10, 2014–15, 4 FA Cup 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2 Capital One Cup 2006–07, 2014-15, 1 UEFA Champions League 2011–12, 1 UEFA Europa League 2012–13
Mikel also won the African Cup of Nations in 2013.
8. Benni McCarthy
Joined Jose Mourinho at Porto after impressing at Ajax and Celta Vigo. The South African makes the list of our top 10 most decorated African players, having won the UEFA Champions League with Porto and League titles in two different countries.
He has a total of 9 major winners’ medals: 1 Eredivisie 1997–98, 2 KNVB Cup 1997–98, 1998–99, 1 UEFA Intertoto Cup 2000, 2 Portuguese Liga 2003–04, 2005–06, 1 Portuguese Cup 2005–06, 1 UEFA Champions League 2003-04, 1 Intercontinental Cup 2004.
9. Michael Essien
The 2006 BBC African football of the year winner is another African who deserves a place on this list. Having played for Lyon, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Milan the Ghanaian International has won enough titles to be in this list.
The utility, and one of the most complete midfielders of his time has a total of 10 major winners’ medals.
2 Lique 1 2003–04, 2004–05, 2 Premier League 2005–06, 2009–10, 4 FA Cup 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 1 Capital One Cup 2006–07, 1 UEFA Champions League 2011-12
10. Geremi Njitap
With 2 Champions League winners medals and league titles in 2 different countries to his name definitely former Madrid and Chelsea player deserves a mention.
He was part of the Cameroon golden generation that ruled African football for years and won the Olympic gold medal in Australia at Sydney 2000.
He has a total of 8 major winners’ medals: 2 UEFA Champions League: 1999–2000, 2001–02, 1 La Liga: 2000–01, 2 Capital One Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07, 2 Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 1 FA Cup: 2006–07.