Top 10 African Players in Premier League History – Ranked

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. Egypt National football Team Captain Mohamed Salah, Andre Onana, Yaya Toure, and Nicolas Jackson are some of the best African players in the Premier League.

Interestingly, Africa is the second continent with the highest number of players, comprising 8.2% of the 33 nations, following Europe’s 79.1% in the Premier League. In this blog. Ranking the best 10 African football players in Premier League history is not as simple as it looks. There have been almost 400 African players who have been part of the league’s history. However, Sportsdunia ranked the 10 Best African Players in Premier League History as of 2025. The list of famous African players in the Premier League is based on best performances, goals, personal achievements, and matches played in the League.

List of Best African Players in Premier League History

The table below contains the 10 best African players in Premier League who have etched their names in the history books by showcasing exceptional talent, consistency, and unforgettable performances.

How We Ranked the Best African Players in Premier League History

In this segment, we will understand the ranking factors we have used to rank the top 10 Best African Premier League players. These factors made sure our personal opinions didn’t impact the list.

• 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.
• Trophies Won: The Number of Premier League trophies won was one of the most important factors we have used to analyze the African players before finalizing our list of the 10 Best African Premier League players.
• 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.

Who are the Greatest African Players in Premier League History?

This detailed list of the best African players in Premier League gives a snippet of the career of African players in Premier League history and why they were given a particular rank in the list.

10. Kanu – Nigeria

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. The Nigerian player 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 African players in the Premier League’s history.

9. Emmanuel Adebayor – Togo

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, making him one of the best African players in Premier League history.

8. Wilfried Zaha – Ivory Coast

The Ivorian winger Wilfried Zaha has occupied the 8th position in our list of the best African players in Premier League. The African player who belongs to the Ivory Coast was raised in the United Kingdom,which gave him the exposure to football that he might have missed had he stayed in his country, where basic football infrastructure is still missing. He joined the Crystal Palace youth academy when he was just a small kid with big aspirations. His hard work paid off and he finally got the senior team call in 2010.

Zaha helped the English side, Crystal Palace, in getting promoted to the First Division of English Football in 2013 by scoring crucial goals in the playoffs. Later on, his gameplay drew attention from Manchester United, where his impact was limited, forcing Zaha to return to his boyhood club in 2014. His long tenure in the most watched league in the world makes him stand shoulder to shoulder with the best African players in Premier League history.

7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Gabon

The Olympique Marseille forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 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.

6. Yakubu – Nigeria

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.

5. Yaya Toure – Ivory Coast

The former Ivorian footballer Yaya Toure, who is ranked 8th in our list of the best black players, 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 pivotal role in transforming Manchester City into a dominant 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 African players in Premier League.

4. Sadio Mane – Senegal

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 Premier League debut for Southampton after joining the english club from Red Bull Salzburg. With his blistering speed and scoring ability, Sadio instantly became the club’s showstopper. In 2016, he moved to the most successful EPL club Liverpool, under Jurgen 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 Premier League.

3. Riyad Mahrez – Algeria

Algerian 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.

2. Didier Drogba – Ivory Coast

The legendary Ivory Coast player Didier Drogba is in 2nd position, just below the Egyptian King, in our ranking of the best African players in Premier League. Drogba is known for his clutch performances in the Premier League. He joined the London-based club in 2004 from the French club Marseille, thanks to Jose Mourinho, who put his stake on the Ivorian player. Statistically, his best performance for Chelsea came in the 2006/07 season, where he scored more than a dozen goals, making him one of the best strikers in Blues' history.

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 59 assists in 254 matches.

1. Mohamed Salah – Egypt

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 and also won the Individual awards like FWA & PFA record number of times. He uplifted Liverpool and helped secure their first league title in 2020 after 30 years of drought. Additionally, he played an important role in Liverpool's historic 20th title, which made the Reds the most successful club in the EPL. Known for his dribbling ability, pace, and clinical finishes, Mohamed Salah became a Premier League icon. So far, Salah has scored 186 goals and 88 assists in 301 matches.