Our 'Goat' listing of African football personalities who deserve recognition

The history of football means nothing when there are no African players. They have shown many unforgettable displays, and it is no wonder that fans worldwide have lived to tell these stories.

Romose, for example, was a powerful 30-yard effort, Mohamed Aboutrika showed a great solo strike, and finally, Ryan Moon’s landmark goal. Africans have been super and confirm their support for the beautiful game that everybody.

In the same way, other fields pay respect to their legends like NASCAR riders, NBA's Hall of Fame, or Putlizer's Prize for accomplished authors like at royalwriter.co.uk – best essay writing service, it's only right to pay our respects to some of our African legends. 

Here are some of the most notable football personalities from the blessed continent:

Essam El-Hadary – Egyptian

Goalkeepers aren't usually featured on the list of the most notable footballers. So you might find it interesting that the first entry on this list is Egypt's legendary goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, or High Dam. But it's deserved. 

Essam has a bursting trophy cabinet, and he's considered one of African football's all-time greats. His international career commenced in 1996, and the star hasn't looked back.

El-Hadary snagged four AFCON titles with the national team. Three wins happened in succession – 2006, '08, and '10. His story gets even more interesting. The star made history as the oldest player to grace a World Cup match at the Russian edition. 

Essam attained significant club success by clinching his motherland's league title eight times. He also bagged the Sudan League while playing for Al Merreikh. 

Sadio Mane – Senegalese

Sadio Mane is Senegal’s standout player, so not having him around for Corsica Sicily 2022 meant they had limited options for a standout performer. The Lions of Teranga, who were reigning AFCON champions, were hopeful of a semis appearance for the first time but they could not find their way to the big stage.

The Netherlands sent them home at the group stage before they won a beating in the round of 16 against England. Sadio had 39 goals in 100 appearances for Senegal by then and they did not have someone who could match his output.

Mane has 522 career goals as of this publication based on the royalwriter review, but his impact outside the field is immeasurable. The star provided a 70-euro monthly stipend to every household in his former neighborhood. He also unveiled a new stadium in his village in January 2024.  

Nwankwo Kanu - Nigerian

After heart surgery, Kanu became known for his big comeback, with which he helped Inter pick up the ’98 UEFA Cup. The striker had a great time in the field playing for Arsenal, as well. The star got two Premier League titles and was among the squad that made a historical unbeaten run.

Kanu continued making headlines even when he was winding down his career at Portsmouth. He achieved great feats with his Kanu Heart Foundation. At the same time, he led his team to an astonishing FA Cup victory. The soccer star scored the only goals in both the semis and finals.

Yaya Toure – Ivorian

The tall Ivorian boasts of many interesting international and club team accomplishments. The man was the captain of his national teammates when they won the AFCON trophy of 2015, and he had titles on his name with the likes of Man City and FC Barcelona. With the beautiful Catalonian team, Yaya Toure also got a Champions League medal.

Back at home, one Yaya Toure bagged the African Footballer of the Year award four times. Often remembered for his immense power, venomous vision, and relentless goal hunger, he produced the ultimate demonstration with the citizens in the 2013-14 Premier League season. He was able to accomplish 20 league goals for the Blues. Is there any other defensive midfielder that can boast of such stats?

Mohammed Kudus – Ghanian

The first season of many new-generation African players in the Premier League is remarkable. Among the leading players are Mohammed Kudus, who plays for West Ham. The fact that the player is a newcomer to English football makes his stats impressive. Kudus’ accomplishment in the field ranks him 12th in the league on strikes per minute. This is a peculiar and rare achievement for teams that are always willing their forwards to put in their fair share of work back.

The 23-year-old has netted ten goals in 24 matches across all competitions. But he didn't start here. Danish club FC Nordsjaelland plucked him from his home country at 17. This could be late in today's football standards, but it didn't prevent the star from shining. Ajax came calling two years later, and Kudus dazzled during his three seasons in Amsterdam. The star also had quite an impression at the 2022 World Cup.

Besides football, Kudus inspires scholars in matters of mental health. The star has also collaborated with his current team to distribute jerseys to Ghana's community teams. 

Victor Osimhen – Nigerian

Osimhen has been on a tear on the pitch and in the news. He took Serie A by storm by topping all charts as top scorer and helping Napoli to their first league title in over three decades. However, he and his team missed out on the 2022 World Cup when Ghana sent them packing. Still, during the AFCON 2023, he once again proved himself. Currently, he is one of his country’s leading goal scorers of all time with 21 to his name in a total of 28 appearances.

Victor has been busy helping people outside the pitch. The football star recently shared his dreams of supporting disabled people across Africa. He is working with foundations, footballers, and other famous people to carry out the Charity Champions Cup. The event will provide eye care for 10,000 people in Nigeria. In a recent interview, Osimhen also admitted that one of his sources of inspiration is Sadio Mane, who has helped numerous people in his community.

More Talent Sprouts Daily

Africa has been the cradle of football talent for many years. Many football players who have played with big clubs worldwide have come from this continent and have made history due to their incomparable skills. Many international stars who are now retired are a product of this continent and have therefore revolutionized the game. Most of them have become symbols due to the success of the continent in football. Or well, have exploded.