With Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah still putting up gigantic numbers for Liverpool, we turn our attention to the top African goalscorers in Premier League history. While not exhaustive, this does represent the best retired players as well as those who have left the Premier League and are playing in other leagues. When his career is done and dusted, Salah will top this list, but for now, we will let him boost his numbers for a little longer.
With so many top African goalscorers, it’s no wonder that clubs look to Africa to fill out their sides from the continent. Betting from Africa has increased over the years with Nigeria far and away the most active bettors. Even less successful nations are seeing a rise in betting — a sport bet Zambia by Betway, for instance, is seeing more attention on football wagering.
Top African Goalscorers in Premier League History
Sadio Mané – Senegal
Having left Liverpool on a high after scoring 90 goals in 196 games, Sadio Mané didn’t have quite the same success at Bayern Munich. Still, he was pivotal in a fantastic Liverpool side that won the Champions League — a match in which he secured an early penalty against Tottenham.
- Premier League Champion (2020)
- Champions League Winner (2019)
- Africa Cup of Nations Winner (2022)
- Fastest hat-trick in Premier League history (2 minutes and 56 seconds) while at Southampton
- 2x African Footballer of the Year (2019, 2022)
Didier Drogba – Ivory Coast
Didier Drogba is known for his incredible career at Chelsea. Also as a philanthropist, he embodied everything great about his club and country.
- Four Premier League titles
- Two Golden Boots
He was a key player in Chelsea’s first UEFA Champions League victory in 2012, scoring the equalizing goal and the winning penalty in the final. He is celebrated as one of the greatest African players in Premier League history, finishing with 104 goals in the league.
Emmanuel Adebayor – Togo, Nigeria
At his best, he was a slick goalscorer especially when with Arsenal where he scored 46 of his 162 career goals. During some great years with Arsenal, he had some world class creative midfielders sharing the ball. With a stop at rivals Tottenham, he became a polarising figure in North London.
- African Footballer of the Year 2008
- Led Togo to their first World Cup in 2006
- Scored 11 goals in World Cup qualifiers
- Scored 30 goals in the 2007/08 season for Arsenal
- Played for top clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal
Yakubu – Nigeria
- Fourth highest African goalscorer in Premier League history with 95 goals
- Participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
- Scored 21 goals in 57 appearances for Nigeria
- Known for his powerful playing style
- Significant contributions to his clubs, especially at Everton where he scored 15 goals in his first season
Riyad Mahrez – Algeria
Riyad Mahrez was an important player in City’s run of consecutive Premier League titles. With the team struggling, Pep Guardiola might regret losing Mahrez before the season is done.
- Premier League Champion (2015-16 with Leicester City, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 with Manchester City)
- PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2016)
- Africa Cup of Nations winner (2019 with Algeria)
- Key player in Leicester’s historic title win
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Gabon
Scoring 92 goals in the Premier League between Arsenal and Chelsea, Aubameyang arrived at the North London club much-hyped from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. That he was going to be near the top of African goalscorers was an obvious outcome.
- Premier League Golden Boot (2018-19)
- Bundesliga Golden Boot (2016-17)
- African Player of the Year (2015)
- FA Cup winner with Arsenal (2020)
- DFB-Pokal winner with Borussia Dortmund (2017)
Wilfried Zaha – Ivory Coast
Size and pace were key to Zaha’s game. A nightmare for defenders to contend with, Zaha was always seen as a player who could go on to great things. Whether he stayed at Crystal Palace too long is open to debate.
- Highest ever goalscorer for Crystal Palace in the Premier League
- Won the Community Shield with Manchester United
- Named The Football League’s Young Player of the Year
- Instrumental in Crystal Palace’s promotion to the Premier League in 2013
Yaya Touré – Ivory Coast
- Three Premier League titles (2011/12, 2013/14, 2017/18)
- FA Cup winner (2011)
- Four-time African Footballer of the Year (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
- Champions League winner (2009 with Barcelona)
- Key player in Manchester City’s rise to prominence in the Premier League
Nwankwo Kanu – Nigeria
- Nwankwo Kanu won the Premier League twice (2001/02, 2003/04)
- Three FA Cups (2002, 2003, 2008)
- UEFA Champions League medal (1995)
- Olympic gold medal (1996)
- Two-time African Footballer of the Year (1996, 1999)
- Kanu is known for his significant contributions to Arsenal’s Invincibles during their unbeaten season in 2003/04
- Important role in helping Portsmouth win the FA Cup in 2008
- 118 substitute appearances in the Premier League, ranking third all-time
Summary of the Top African Players
Leading the pack is Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian sensation who has taken the Premier League by storm since joining Liverpool. Salah’s incredible tally of 168 goals has set a new benchmark for African players in the league.
Following Salah is Senegalese star Sadio Mané, whose 111 goals have been crucial in Liverpool’s recent successes. The legendary Ivorian striker Didier Drogba rounds out the top three with 104 goals, cementing his status as a Chelsea icon.
Other notable names on the list include Emmanuel Adebayor from Togo, Nigeria’s Yakubu, and Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez. These players have not only scored prolifically but have also left lasting impressions on the clubs they represented.
It’s worth noting that this list includes players from various African nations, highlighting the continent’s diverse football talent. From North African countries like Egypt to West African nations such as Senegal and Ivory Coast, the Premier League has benefited from a wide range of African goal-scoring prowess.