Ranking the 10 Best African Players in Premier League History

The Premier League is like a home for some of the top African footballers of all time. Fans have witnessed some of the best African players in the Premier League for over three decades. Established as the world’s most distinguished tournament, PL does not tolerate racism, discrimination, or partiality. Mohamed Salah, Andre Onana, Yaya Toure, and Nicolas Jackson are some of the best African players in the PL.

Interestingly, Africa is the second continent with the highest number of players, 8.2% from 33 nations, following Europe’s 79.1% in the Premier League, allowing champions worldwide. In this blog, Sportsdunia categorizes the top 20 African players in the PL of all time so far. Ranking the best 10 African football players in Premier League history is not as simple as it looks.

There are almost 400 African players who have been part of the league in history. However, Sportsdunia ranked the 10 Best African Players in Premier League History as of 2025. The list of famous African football players in the PL is based on best performances, goals, personal achievements, and matches played in the League.  

Ranking Factors

Performances: The first parameter considered for ranking the best African players in Premier League is to look at their performances for the club during derbies, clutch games, or tournaments.

Impact: The second factor considered while making this list of the best African players in Premier League is to analyse their impact and influence on the club they’re playing or have played for.

Longevity: The last parameter considered while making this list was to look at their career longevity, how long these players played in the league at the highest level.

Top 10 Best African Players in Premier League

10. Kanu

Kanu, whose full name is Nwankwo Kanu, had a notable career in the Premier League from 1999 to 2012. He entered the league with Arsenal in 1999 and won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups. He is remembered as one of the most skilled Arsenal players, known for his creativity and skillful play. His hat-trick against Chelsea in 1999 is one of the highlights of his career.

Then he moved to Portsmouth and helped in winning the FA Cup in 2008. His stint with West Bromwich Albion had a key role in the club’s survival in the Premier League. With 271 appearances, 54 goals, and 30 assists, Kanu became one of the top football players in the Premier League’s history.  

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
1999	271	54	30	Arsenal, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion, Ajax, Inter Milan

9. Yaya Toure

Ivorian former footballer Yaya Toure had a prolific Premier League career and joined Manchester City from Barcelona in 2010. Yaya Toure was one of the most powerful midfielders of his time, known for his goal-scoring capabilities, vision, and strength. He played a key role in turning Manchester City into a powerful force in the league.

Toure had contributed to many match-deciding moments, including the Club’s first-ever Premier League title in the 2011-2012 season. He also helped the club secure two more titles and earned the PFA Player of the Year award in 2014. His key performances and ability to change the game from midfield led him to one of the top league players from Africa.        

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2010	230	60	31	Manchester City, Barcelona, Monaco, Olympiacos

8. Wilfried Zaha

Wilfried Zaha is another talented player from the Ivory Coast who made his debut with Crystal Palace in 2013. Zaha is a skilled winger with impressive pace and creativity led him to move to Manchester United in 2013. However, struggled to maintain his position in the City and later returned to the Palace on loan in 2014. He became the Club’s permanent player and impressed with his dribbling, flair, and match-winning ability.

He remained loyal to the Palace, setting various records for the club as one of the most talented and consistent attackers in the league. 

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2013	305	68	30	Crystal Palace, Manchester United

7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a Gabonese professional player who made his Premier League debut with Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in 2018. Aubameyang became one of the top league forwards with his pace and goal-scoring ability. For the 2018-2019 season, Aubameyang won a Golden Boot, sharing the award with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane after scoring 22 goals.

He had many notable contributions to Arsenal’s success, but struggled with inconsistency and disciplinary issues, and later moved to Chelsea in 2022. So far, he has 143 Premier League appearances with 69 goals and 16 assists.  

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2018	143	69	16	Arsenal, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Saint-Étienne

Also Read: Ranking 10 Best African Footballers of All time: From Mohamed Salah to Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure

6. Riyad Mahrez

Algerian professional footballer Riyad Mahrez began his Premier League career with Leicester City in 2014. He moved to Leicester City from French club Le Havre. He immediately made an impression with his creativity. Dribbling and goal-scoring ability. He won a  PFA Players’ Player of the Year award and contributed to Leicester’s 2015–16 title-winning cup.

Later, he moved to Manchester City and continued to play a pivotal role in multiple league titles and domestic cups. His consistent league performances in big games cemented his position as one of the best African players in the PL as a top winger.     

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2014	284	82	63	Manchester City, Leicester City, Le Havre

5. Yakubu

Nigerian footballer Yakubu made his Premier League debut with Portsmouth in 2003. Yakubu is one of the most celebrated African players is known for his powerful shots and on-field physical presence. Throughout his league career, he continued to shine with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, and Blackburn Rovers.

In the 2007–08 season, Yakubu played his breakthrough season with Middlesbrough, scoring 25 goals. Despite his injuries, Yakubu continued to excel in the Leagues as one of the prolific African strikers. He appeared in 252 matches, while scoring 95 goals and 24 assists in his overall Premier League career.    

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2003	252	95	24	Everton, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers

4. Emmanuel Adebayor

Former professional footballer Emmanuel Adebayor was born and raised in Togo, a West African country.  Emmanuel Adebayor played his Premier League season with Arsenal in 2006. Adebayor became one of the top performers in the league with goal-scoring ability, physicality, and technical skills. Despite the ups and downs in his career,  Emmanuel had played a significant role in Manchester City, securing a fourth-place finish in 2011.

Later, he had a notable stint at Tottenham Hotspur as well, and then moved to Crystal Palace. In his Premier League career, Emmanuel Adebayor made 242 appearances, scoring 97 goals and 35 assists.

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2006	242	97	35	Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Monaco

Also Read: Top 10 Most Expensive African Players of All Time

3. Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba is one of the three top players from Africa in the Premier League who have had a distinguished career in the league. One of the most renowned strikers, Didier Drogba, started his PL career with Chelsea in 2004. He became one of the top players of the club thanks to his Physicality, strength, technical skill, and clutch performances.

Drogba had a huge role in Chelsea’s four Premier League-winning titles, including their maiden 2005 cup. For the club, Drogba alone scored 100 goals and won a Golden Boot in 2007. He scored 104 goals and 56 assists in 254 matches. 

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2004	254	104	56	Chelsea, Marseille, Galatasaray, Montreal Impact, Shanghai Shenhua

2. Sadio Mane

Sadio Mane is the second-best African player on our list of top Players in the Premier League from a foreign land. In 2014, Sadio Mane made his PL debut with Southampton from Red Bull Salzburg. With his blistering speed and scoring ability, Sadio instantly became a club’s showstopper. In 2016, he moved to Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp’s system.

He helped the club to win the UEFA Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020. One of the top performers of PL, Sadio Mane, became a two-time Golden Boot winner in 2019 and 2022. His success at Liverpool in the PL made Sadio Mané the top African player in the league. 

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2014	263	111	41	Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Southampton, Red Bull Salzburg

1. Mohamed Salah

Egyptian Talisman Mohamed Salah is the best African player in the Premier League, who began his career with Chelsea in 2014. He flashed his brilliance through his limited appearances at Chelsea. However, his breakthrough came after moving to AS Roma. Later, Salah signed a contract with Liverpool and wasted no time in joining the club of top players. With every appearance, Salah set new records while breaking the old ones.

He instantly solidified his position as the League’s top performer, winning the Premier League Golden Boot award multiple times. He uplifted Liverpool and helped secure their first league title in 2020 after 30 years of drought. Known for his dribbling ability, pace, and clinical finishes, Mohamed Salah became a Premier League icon. So far, Salah has scored 185 goals and 88 assists in 297 matches.

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2014	297	185	88	Liverpool, Chelsea, AS Roma, Fiorentina, Basel

Also Read: Ranking the Best African Players to Have Played for Manchester United

List of 10 Best African Premier League Players

Rank	Player	Country	Appearances	Clubs
1	Mohamed Salah	Egypt	277	Liverpool, Chelsea, AS Roma, Fiorentina, Basel
2	Sadio Mane	Senegal	263	Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Southampton, Red Bull Salzburg
3	Didier Drogba	Ivory Coast	254	Chelsea, Marseille, Galatasaray, Montreal Impact, Shanghai Shenhua
4	Emmanuel Adebayor	Togo	242	Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Monaco
5	Yakubu	Nigeria	252	Everton, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers
6	Riyad Mahrez	Algeria	284	Manchester City, Leicester City, Le Havre
7	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Gabon	143	Arsenal, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Saint-Étienne
8	Wilfried Zaha	Ivory Coast	305	Crystal Palace, Manchester United
9	Yaya Toure	Ivory Coast	230	Manchester City, Barcelona, Monaco, Olympiacos
10	Kanu	Nigeria	273	Arsenal, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion, Ajax, Inter Milan

Bonus Section: Top African Players in EPL

S. No	Name	Nation	Appearances	Clubs
1	Efan Ekoku	Nigeria	160	Norwich City, Wimbledon
2	Demba Ba	Senegal	99	Chelsea, Newcastle United, West Ham United, Besiktas
3	Shola Ameobi	Nigeria	298	West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Cardiff City
4	Frederic Kanoute	Mali, France	144	Sevilla, Tottenham Hotspur, Lyon
5	Kelechi Iheanacho	Nigeria	196	Leicester City, Manchester City
6	Jordan Ayew	Ghana	289	Crystal Palace, Swansea City, Aston Villa, Lorient
7	Papiss Demba Cisse	Senegal	117	Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers
8	Peter Odemwingie	Nigeria	129	Newcastle United, Freiburg, Alanyaspor
9	Benni McCarthy	South Africa	120	Blackburn Rovers, Porto, Ajax
10	Wilfried Bony	Ivory Coast	115	Swansea City, Manchester City, Vitesse

Also Read: Ranking The 15 Best African Players to Play for Arsenal – 2024

FAQs