20 Best African Players in Premier League History

The Premier League is like a home for some of the top African footballers of all time. Mohamed Salah, Andre Onana, Yaya Toure, and Nicolas Jackson are some of the best African players in the PL.   

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.

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 Factors

Ranking the best 20 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 20 Best African Players in Premier League History as of 2024. The list of famous African football players in the PL is based on best performances, goals, personal achievements, and matches played in the League.  

• Performances
• Goals
• Assist
• Appearances
• Personal Achievements

Check the list of top 10 African players in the Premier League of all time including nation, appearances, and clubs. 

No.	Name	Nation	Appearances	Clubs
20	Wilfried Bony	Ivory Coast	115	Swansea City, Manchester City, Vitesse
19	Benni McCarthy	South Africa	120	Blackburn Rovers, Porto, Ajax
18	Peter Odemwingie	Nigeria	129	West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Cardiff City
17	Papiss Demba Cissé	Senegal	117	Newcastle United, Freiburg, Alanyaspor
16	Jordan Ayew	Ghana	289	Crystal Palace, Swansea City, Aston Villa, Lorient
15	Kelechi Iheanacho	Nigeria	196	Leicester City, Manchester City
14	Frédéric Kanouté	Mali, France	144	Sevilla, Tottenham Hotspur, Lyon
13	Shola Ameobi	Nigeria	298	Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers
12	Demba Ba	Senegal	99	Chelsea, Newcastle United, West Ham United, Besiktas
11	Efan Ekoku	Nigeria	160	Norwich City, Wimbledon
10	Kanu	Nigeria	273	Arsenal, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion, Ajax, Inter Milan
9	Yaya Touré	Ivory Coast	230	Manchester City, Barcelona, Monaco, Olympiacos
8	Wilfried Zaha	Ivory Coast	305	Crystal Palace, Manchester United
7	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Gabon	143	Arsenal, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Saint-Étienne
6	Riyad Mahrez	Algeria	284	Manchester City, Leicester City, Le Havre
5	Yakubu	Nigeria	252	Everton, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers
4	Emmanuel Adebayor	Tago	242	Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Monaco
3	Didier Drogba	Ivory Coast	254	Chelsea, Marseille, Galatasaray, Montreal Impact, Shanghai Shenhua
2	Sadio Mané	Senegal	263	Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Southampton, Red Bull Salzburg
1	Mohamed Salah	Egypt	277	Liverpool, Chelsea, AS Roma, Fiorentina, Basel

20. Wilfried Bony

Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony made his Premier League debut with Swansea City in 2013. In his debut season at Swansea, Wilfried Bony scored 16 goals and became the top goal scorer of the club. Wilfried Bony is one of the top players of Manchester City who joined the club after his prolific stint with Vitesse and Swansea. Bony is known for his strength, aerial ability, and his clinical finishes. However, he couldn’t replicate his success in the City due to injuries and tough competitions and returned to Swansea. Throughout his Premier League career, Wilfried Bony netted 36 goals and 6 assists in 115 appearances in the tournament.

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2013	115	36	6	Swansea City, Manchester City, Vitesse

19. Benni McCarthy

Next, we have South African striker Benni McCarthy on our list of top African players in PL history who debuted with Blackburn Rovers in 2006. Benni McCarthy impressed everyone with his 18 league goals that made him the Blackburn Rover club’s top scorer in his first season. His smart and quick movement was a goal threat for the opponent team. Champions League winner McCarthy played 120 matches while scoring 37 goals and 6 assists. He is also the all-time leading goal scorer of South Africa’s football team and the coach of the national team. 

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2006	120	37	6	Blackburn Rovers, Porto, Ajax

18. Peter Odemwingie

Nigeria’s former captain and forward Peter Odemwingie had an impressive PL career with West Bromwich Albion in 2010. Odemwingie scored 15 goals in his first season and was rewarded with the club’s Player of the Year award. Known for his speed and technical skills, Odemwingie is one of the fan’s favorite players in the club. During his Premier League, Odemwingie had a stint with Cardiff City and Stoke City which completed his 129 PL appearances while scoring 37 goals and 13 assists. He is mostly remembered for his key performances like hat-trick against Wolves in 2012. 

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2010	129	37	13	West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Cardiff City

17. Papiss Demba Cissé

Senegalese striker Papiss Demba Cissé made his Premier League debut with Newcastle United moving from Freiburg in 2012. Papiss is another prolific African footballer who made a memorable debut scoring 13 goals in 14 appearances in the first season. Known for his long-range and incredible goal-scoring prowess which made him one of the top strikers in the club. His long-range volley against Chelsea is still remembered as one of the PL’s greatest goals ever. Across 117 matches, Cissé bagged 37 goals and 6 assists in his Premier League career.      

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2012	117	37	6	Newcastle United, Freiburg, Alanyaspor

16. Jordan Ayew

Jordan Ayew who holds French and Ghanaian nationality made his PL debut with Aston Villa in 2015. Jordan Ayew is one of the skilled forwards known for his work ethic, adaptability, and consistent goal scorer. He moved to Swansea after a short stint with Villa and later transferred to Crystal Palace on loan. His consistent performances cemented his position in the club where he became a key player and contributed to the crucial goals. He became the Palace’s integral part and played a vital role in the team’s overall success. Speaking of his overall PL career, Jordan Ayew played 289 matches while scoring 40 goals and 25 assists. 

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2015	289	40	25	Crystal Palace, Swansea City, Aston Villa, Lorient

15. Kelechi Iheanacho

Nigerian footballer Kelechi Iheanacho started his Premier League career with Manchester City in 2015. Kelechi Iheanacho became City’s top young prospect who had a breakthrough season in 2016-2017. However, his initial successes couldn’t give him a permanent position at Manchester City. He transferred to Leicester where he gradually started to make progress. Iheanacho’s technical skill, clinical goal, and knack for scoring in crucial moments all made him not only Leicester a top player but also in the Premier League. 

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2015	196	42	25	Leicester City, Manchester City

14. Frédéric Kanouté

Frédéric Kanouté had a notable career in the Premier League playing with West Ham United in 1999. Frédéric Kanouté scored 11 goals in his debut season as a skilled forward. Later Kanouté transferred to Tottenham in 2003 where he became the key player of the club in the league. His technical ability, a knack for scoring goals, and powerful on-field presence made him one of the top African players. He made 144 appearances in the Premier League scoring 43 goals and 16 assists. In 2007, Frédéric Kanouté became the very first African Player of the Year who was born outside Africa.     

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
1999	144	43	16	Sevilla, Tottenham Hotspur, Lyon

13. Shola Ameobi

Nigeria’s former footballer Shola Ameobi had an enjoyable long-lasting career in the Premier League. Shola Ameobi made his league debut with Newcastle United in 2000. Throughout his over a decade-long career with the club, Ameobi showcased his goal-scoring skills and physicality. Throughout his career, Ameobi is known for his aerial skills, powerful presence on the field, and consistent contributions to the club’s successes in many European Cups. He briefly played for Bolton Wanderers and later Crystal Palace after leaving Newcastle in 2014.   

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2000	298	43	20	Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers

12. Demba Ba

Senegalese former player Demba Ba is next among our top African players in PL history famous for his scoring prowess. He made his league debut with West Ham United in 2011. His goal-scoring prowess stands out from other players of the team in the club. Before transferring to Chelsea, Demba Ba scored 29 goals in 54 appearances for the club. He performed outstandingly for Chelsea as well drew attention with impressive performances. On many occasions, he contributed important goals for the club and was part of the 2014-2015 Premier League winning title. Later he enjoyed playing for Newcastle United as well totaling his 99 Premier League appearances while netting 43 goals and 3 assists.    

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2011	99	43	3	Chelsea, Newcastle United, West Ham United, Besiktas

Also Read: Top 10 Best African Footballers Ever | Ranked

11. Efan Ekoku

Another Nigerian footballer Efan Ekoku, made it to the list of top Premier League players from Africa. Efan Ekoku played his debut season with Norwich City in 1993. He became the first African player to score four goals in a single Premier League match against Everton in 1993. He is known for his physical presence and his goal-scoring skills made him one of the top Norwich players. He contributed to Norwich City’s winning title in the 1993-1994 season. He played for Wimbledon after leaving Norwich. In his 160 Premier League matches, Efan Ekoku scored 52 goals and 10 assists and etched his name as Africa’s top player in the league.      

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
1993	160	52	10	Norwich City, Wimbledon

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 273 appearances, 54 goals, and 29 assists Kanu became one of the top football players in the Premier League’s history.  

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
1999	273	54	29	Arsenal, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion, Ajax, Inter Milan

9. Yaya Touré

Ivorian former footballer Yaya Touré had a prolific Premier League career and joined Manchester City from Barcelona in 2010. Yaya Touré 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 house in the league. Touré had contributed to many match-deciding moments including 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 the one of the top league players from Africa.        

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2010	230	62	29	Manchester City, Barcelona, Monaco, Olympiacos

8. Wilfried Zaha

Wilfried Zaha is another talented player from the Ivory Coast who made a 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 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	29	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 Mané 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

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	60	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 onfield 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 ace in the Leagues as one of the prolific African strikers. He appeared in 252 matches, while scoring 95 goals and 26 assists in the overall Premier League career.    

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2003	252	95	26	Everton, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers

4. Emmanuel Adebayor

Former professional footballer Emmanuel Adebayor was born and raised in Tago, 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 left 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 36 assists.

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2006	242	97	36	Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Monaco

3. Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba is one of the three top players from Africa in the Premier League who 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 54 assists in the 54 matches. 

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2004	254	104	54	Chelsea, Marseille, Galatasaray, Montreal Impact, Shanghai Shenhua

2. Sadio Mané

Sadio Mané is the second-best African player on our list of top Players in the Premier League from a foreign land. In 2014 Sadio Mané 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	112	38	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 in the Chelsea. However, his breakthrough came after moving to AS Roma. Later, Salah signed a tenure 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 170 goals, and 77 assists in 277 matches.

Premier League Debut	Matches	Goals	Assists	Clubs
2014	277	170	77	Liverpool, Chelsea, AS Roma, Fiorentina, Basel

Also Read: Ranking Of African Players For Man Utd From Best To Worst