By Spy Uganda
African footballers, like their counterparts in the major basketball leagues in the world, are making great strides in different soccer leagues. Africa is one of the leading continents credited for producing exceptional talents in the sport, including football greats like George Weah, Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Stephen Keshi, Mahmoud El-Gohary, Samuel Eto, Didier Drogba, Roger Milla, Rigobert Song, El Hadji Diouf, Mustapha Hadji, Benni Mcarthy, Mark Fish, and Michael Essien.
African football stars are clear evidence of the skills, competence, creativity, and capabilities of African youths who, against all odds, stand tall as unicorns in diverse fields of endeavors. Below is a formidable team of Africa’s current eleven soccer giants with sterling careers both in club and home country.
Edouard Mendy (Senegal)
Position: Goalkeeper
The 30-year-old shot-stopper was instrumental in Senegal’s recent success in the sport, including the country’s victory at the 2022 AFCON. He currently plays for the Chelsea Football Club of England.
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Position: Right-Back
The 24-year-old Moroccan has played for several clubs, including Castilla, Real Madrid, Dortmund, and Inter Milan, and currently plays for PSG in France. He has scored four goals in the current 2022/23 season, a feat that is uncommon with defenders.
Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal)
Position: Center-Back
Koulibaly recently switched from Napoli to Chelsea after eight years in the Serie A club. The 31-year-old Senegalese began his career with the French team Metz. He played a crucial role in Senegal’s triumph at the 2022 AFCON and is undoubtedly the best center-back currently in Africa.
Joël Matip (Cameroon)
Position: Center-Back
The German-born Cameroonian plays for Liverpool in the English Premier League. He made his Bundesliga debut in November 2009 with Schalke 04, where he made 258 appearances and scored 23 goals, before joining Liverpool in February 2016. He has made up to 10 appearances in Liverpool and scored 10 goals.
Reinildo Isnard Mandava (Mozambique)
Position: Left-Back
The 29-year-old Mozambique professional footballer transferred from Lille to Athletico Madrid in January 2022 on a three-and-half-a-year deal, and has made up to 52 appearances in the Spanish club.
Nicolas Pépé (Cote d’Ivoire)
Position: Right-Midfield
Nicolas plays for Ligue 1 club Nice in the French league and has played for several clubs, including Poitiers, Angers, Orleans, Lille, Arsenal, and Nice. He is currently on loan to Nice from Arsenal.
Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria)
Position: Central Defensive Midfield
This Nigerian professional footballer is known for his spectacular defensive performances. Ndidi transferred from Genk to Leicester City on January 2017. He played about 83 matches for Genk from the 2014 – 2016 seasons and scored up to 7 goals. He has played up to 225 matches for Leicester City, scoring up to 11 goals.
Maxwel Cornet (Cote d’Ivoire)
Position: Left-Midfield
Gnaly Albert Maxwel Cornet has played for several clubs, including Metz, Lyon, Burnley, and West Ham United. He ended his career at Burnley in 2021/22 with about 26 appearances and nine goals; he moved to West Ham United on August 2022 on a five-year contract.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Position: Right-Forward
Mohamed Salah Hamed Mahrous Ghaly, also known as Mo Salah, is the captain of the Egyptian national team, and one of the top-rated professional footballers in the world. He is notable for his speed, dribbling, and finishing, and is amongst the greatest African footballers of all time. Mo Salah has played for several clubs, including Al Mokawloon, Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina, Roma, and Liverpool. He currently plays for Liverpool, has made up to 285 appearances, and scored up to 173 goals for the football club.
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
Position: Center-Forward
Victor James Osimhen plays for Napoli in the Italian Serie A, and is one of the best strikers in the world. He is currently above the continent’s other goal getters in the 2022/23 season. He made history in this 2022/23 season as the first Nigerian footballer to hit double figures for goals in three separate Serie A campaigns.
He also equaled the record of George Weah, making him the second African standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Weah as the only African to hit double figures for goals in three separate Serie A campaigns. Victor Osimhen has played for several clubs, including VFL Wolfsburg, Charleroi, Lille, and Napoli. He has made up to 84 appearances in Napoli and has scored 46 goals already.
Sadio Mané (Senegal)
Position: Left-Forward
Sadio Mané is a Senegalese professional footballer known for his pressing, speed, and finishing. The 31-year-old striker is among the best footballers in the world and among the greatest Africans of all time. He has played for several clubs, including Metz, Red Bull Salzburg, Southampton, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich.
He made about 51 appearances and scored up to 23 goals in Liverpool. He is currently playing in Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga and has made up to 25 appearances with 15 goals in the current 2022/23 season.
