Africa has such a big history in the world of football. Nations within the continent have produced many iconic moments in the World Cup. Many will remember Senegal's run to the quarter-finals of the 2002 edition in South Korea and Japan, which included a famous win over France.

Who could forget Asamoah Gyan? The former forward was known for being better for his country than his respective clubs back in the day – and was instrumental in Ghana's fairytale run in South Africa in 2010. Therefore, given how many memorable moments these nations have produced over the years, it goes without saying that the continent has produced some very talented players.

From George Weah to Jay-Jay Okocha, not forgetting Nwankwo Kanu, so many players from Africa have gone on to thrive at club level across the world, with plenty achieving several accolades during their respective careers, but who are the 20 best African players of all time?

Our ranking factors

The main factors taken into account when ordering these players were as follows:

• Importance to the team - This can be classed as goals, assists, clean sheets or just sheer contribution to the team. You don't necessarily have to score all the goals or provide all of the assists to be considered high on the list.
• Goals - Goals win games, obviously. A truly elite player arguably has to have had success finding the back of the net at the top level whoever they played for in their career.
• Club and international trophies - If a player has played a crucial part in their team winning trophies, they have been ranked higher on this list. The top of professional football is all about winning trophies — and these players epitomised that.
• Individual Awards - However, some players stay at teams that don't compete for major trophies every year, so using individual awards to rank the 15 best is also important. The Ballon d'Or is one of the most prestigious awards in the sport.

20 Lauren

Notable clubs: Arsenal, Portsmouth

Of all vital the members of Arsenal's Invincibles team, Lauren was perhaps the most underrated. He played 32 times for the Gunners during that unforgettable season, and he would feature for the north London outfit 241 times over a seven-year period (in which he won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups.)

What's more, he would also achieve big things with his country. Notably, 2000 was a special year for Cameroon as they would win Olympic Gold and the African Cup of Nations, with Lauren being named as the player of the tournament for the latter. He would then help his nation achieve glory once more at AFCON in 2002.

19 Geremi

Notable clubs: Real Madrid, Chelsea, Newcastle United

Another Cameroonian star, Geremi was also part of that triumphant generation to win two AFCONs – starting every game at both tournaments– and the Olympics in the early 2000s. The midfielder was capped over 100 times for his country, showing for just how long he was pivotal to their successes.

He didn't just thrive internationally, though, as he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League twice, while he also won La Liga. This led to a move to England where he won the Premier League twice at Chelsea.

18 Bruce Grobbelaar

Notable clubs: Liverpool, Southampton

Bruce Grobbelaar was born in South Africa but emigrated to Rhodesia at just two months of age. He would play one time internationally for them and then represent Zimbabwe on 32 occasions between 1980 and 1998. He never made it to the World Cup, however, coming the closest just ahead of USA 1994 when they were one win short of qualification.

His best successes were undoubtedly on the pitch between the sticks at Anfield. In the 80s he won six league titles at Liverpool. He also ended his career with three FA Cups, three League Cups and A European Cup under his belt - all achieved while playing for the Reds.

17 Samuel Kuffour

Notable clubs: Bayern Munich, Roma

Younger fans might not be too acquainted with the name Sammy Kuffour but the Ghanaian was a stalwart at Bayern Munich for a number of years. He played 227 times for the German giants, helping them win six Bundesliga titles and a Champions League.

He might not have been the biggest –standing at under six foot – but more than made up for it with his strength and positioning. He went to the 2006 World Cup with Ghana, as well as five Africa Cup of Nations, and helped them win Bronze at the 1992 Summer Olympics. On top of that, he also won the BBC African Footballer of the Year in 2001.

16 Rabah Madjer

Notable clubs: Porto, Valencia

The Algerian was an absolute gem of a striker, playing his best football in Portugal. Indeed, in six years at Porto, Rabah Madjer won three league titles and the 1987 European Cup – leading him to be recognised as one of the best players in the world.

Named African Footballer of the Year in 1987, he later led Algeria to glory at the 1990 AFCON as he was named player of the tournament. With all that in mind, it's no wonder Johan Cruyff once attempted to sign Madjer for Ajax.

15 Emmanuel Adebayor

Notable clubs: Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham

At Arsenal, he was widely regarded as a club hero during his time in north London. However, he soon became an enemy of the club forever. A dramatic move to Manchester City in 2009 led to him scoring against his former club and producing one of the most iconic (and infamous) celebrations of the Premier League era, running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the travelling Arsenal fans, who were left raging.

Just when everyone thought he could not tarnish his Gunners' legacy further, Emmanuel Adebayor then moved to fierce rivals Tottenham in 2012. The forward was known for his imposing height and ability to cause havoc for opposing defenders during his playing days. The one-time African Footballer of the Year failed to win anything with his beloved Togo, but was arguably aa well-known figure in Europe during his playing days,

14 Kolo Toure

Notable clubs: Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Celtic

Kolo Toure will go down as one of the most iconic defenders to feature in the Premier League. While he quite won't be mentioned along with the likes of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, the Ivorian still enjoyed a glittering career in England. He holds an impressive record of taking part in two unbeaten seasons (once with Arsenal and once with Scottish heavyweights Celtic).

He is often overlooked when it comes to the best defenders of his generation. As well as impressing at Arsenal, Toure was also pretty solid at the back for both Manchester City and Liverpool before he left the league in 2016. The former Ivory Coast international ended his playing career one year later, following his spell with Celtic, before becoming a coach. His biggest achievement on the international scene came in 2015, when he was part of the Ivory Coast team that won the Africa Cup of Nations.

13 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Notable clubs: Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona

Despite enduring a tough spell at Chelsea, London rivals Arsenal saw the real Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. One of Arsene Wenger’s final signings at Arsenal, the striker scored goals for fun and was someone who became a key player at the Emirates for several years before joining Barcelona. While his major breakthrough came in France with Saint-Étienne, it was his spell before Arsenal with Borussia Dortmund where he established himself as one of the best strikers on the continent.

The Gabon international, who is known for his electrifying pace and a real eye for a goal, enjoyed a remarkable spell in Germany, winning the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup. Named African Footballer of the Year in 2015, the elite forward has scored some special goals over the years.

12 Roger Milla

Notable clubs: Monaco, Montpellier

Roger Milla is best known for his hip-waggling corner flag celebration against Colombia at the World Cup. However, it's fair to say that he put African football on the map during his days as a professional. The former forward was prolific in France for the likes of Monaco, Bastia and Montpellier. In the 1980s, he was Camroon's talisman as they won two AFCONs in 1984 and 1988, finishing top scorer in the '88 edition.

Many may already know this, but he remains the oldest player to ever score at a World Cup. Despite being 42 at the time, he was still scoring at the top level, netting against Russia at the 1994 tournament in the US. To this day, Milla is regarded as one of the best African players of all time.

11 Nwankwo Kanu

Notable clubs: Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal

Nwankwo Kanu was by no means a prolific goalscorer, but it was hard to work out how he, standing at 6ft 6in tall, was able to move with such elegance and grace on the football pitch. He earned plenty of plaudits for his unorthodox style which saw him achieve great success with Ajax, winning multiple Dutch titles and a Champions League, which was followed up by an underwhelming spell at Inter Milan before joining Arsenal in 1998.

The Nigerian striker added to his trophy collection with two league titles with Arsenal before he lifted the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008. Often seen playing with a big smile on his face, Kanu is one of the Premier League's great cult heroes and, on his day, a joy to watch.

10 Jay-Jay Okocha

Notable clubs: PSG, Bolton

So good they named him twice, Jay-Jay Okocha is unquestionably one of the most entertaining and flamboyant players of the Premier League era. Bolton Wanderers fans would give anything to go back to the early 2000s when they were managed by Sam Allardyce and had quality players like Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff and Fernando Hierro in their ranks. There are very few players in England who can be placed in the same category as him when it comes to flair.

Arguably their most talented player ever, he was a master with the ball at his feet. The Bolton faithful never tired of watching Okocha take to the pitch. It came as a surprise that the Nigerian star moved to the English side on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, but he certainly didn't disappoint during his time with the club. While he didn't have many titles to his name, Okocha was still named the African Footballer of the Year on two occasions.

9 Riyad Mahrez

Notable clubs: Leicester City, Manchester City

For a fair few seasons, Riyad Mahrez was one of the Premier League's most skilful wingers. While many would argue that he heavily favoured his left boot, as soon as he cut inside on his favoured foot, keepers had no chance of stopping what was about to come. He was always willing to run at the opposing full-back in order to create chances for himself and his fellow team-mates.

The Algerian star was an important part of Manchester City's side that secured their historic treble in the 2022/23 campaign. He became a household name in the league during his time with Leicester, playing an instrumental role in the Foxes' Premier League triumph in 2016, featuring alongside N'Golo Kante and Jamie Vardy. He left England for Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ahli in 2023 with five Premier League winners' medals to his name.

8 Michael Essien

Notable clubs: Chelsea, Real Madrid

The Ghanian was an instrumental part of Chelsea's squad in the mid-to-late 2000s and early 2010s. He was arguably one of the most successful signings of the early Roman Abramovich era. Featuring in midfield along with Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack, Michael Essien received high praise on a regular basis for his sheer work rate on the pitch. By the time his Stamford Bridge career reached its conclusion, the former Ghana international had won the Premier League twice, in addition to four FA Cups, the League Cup and the Champions League.

Unfortunately, towards the back end of his career, injuries slowed the midfielder down a little earlier than planned; however, his success early on in his career is enough to put him in the top 10.

7 Sadio Mane

Notable clubs: Southampton, Liverpool

It shows just how many brilliant footballers from Africa have played the beautiful game that Sadio Mane misses out on a place in the top five of this list. The Senegalese international began his journey in England's top flight with Southampton, where he scored the fastest-ever Premier League hat-trick in a blisteringly quick two minutes and 56 seconds in May 2015 - a record that still stands today.

He is arguably one of the best wingers of the late 2010s and early 2020s. While his early success came with the Saints, the bulk of his prime years came while he was at Liverpool, where he was instrumental in helping the Reds win their first league title in three decades. The forward, who currently plays alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr following a season with Bayern Munich, is the second-highest-scoring African player in Premier League history with 111 goals to his name.

6 Abedi Pele

Notable clubs: Marseille, Lyon

Known for his speed, close control, and dribbling, Abedi Pele was a graceful and intelligent attacking midfielder. Despite never appearing at a World Cup for his beloved Ghana, he still enjoyed a lot of success at club level. The three-time African Footballer of the Year built a lot of his legacy in France with Marseille.

During his spell with the French giants, he won three league titles and a Champions League, beating Serie A giants AC Milan in Germany. Despite never featuring at the World Cup, he was able to play a starring role in the country's triumph in the African Cup of Nations in 1982. A decade later, in the same tournament, he won the Golden Ball as the Black Stars fell in the final against Ivory Coast. A sensational player to watch on his day, Pele certainly deserves a place fairly high up on the list.

5 Yaya Toure

Notable clubs: Barcelona, Manchester City

While making a name for himself in Spain with La Liga giants Barcelona, a lot of Yaya Toure's better days came during his time with Manchester City, and he became a regular starter in the team, playing a key role in helping the club win their first-ever Premier League title in 2012. The peak of his powers came in the 2013/14 season when he scored a remarkable 20 league goals to guide City to another league title.

He is a prime example of a player who reinvented himself from being an underappreciated defensive player at Barcelona to being the best box-to-box midfielder in England. His eight-year spell in England saw Toure become one of Man City's greatest players of all time. As well as that, he will arguably go down as one of the best foreign players to play in England; therefore, it's no surprise to see him ranked so highly as one of the best African players of all time.

4 Didier Drogba

Notable clubs: Chelsea

Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best African players to ever play the beautiful game. Didier Drogba was instrumental in Chelsea's rise under Jose Mourinho. The big Ivorian scored 104 league goals, often in high-stakes situations. But he was so much more than just a goalscorer - he was a powerful striker who bullied defenders with his great strength and aerial ability.

Despite winning the Golden Boot at the African Cup of Nations in 2012, his beloved Ivory Coast failed to win the tournament, with Drogba failing to pick up any form of silverware for his country during his playing days. His biggest moment in a Chelsea shirt came in the Champions League final when his late equaliser against Bayern Munich eventually propelled the Blues to their first-ever triumph in that competition.

3 Samuel Eto'o

Notable clubs: Barcelona, Inter Milan, Chelsea

Known for being an elite forward who was accurate with both feet as well as his head. A prolific goalscorer, Samuel Eto'o was arguably one of the best strikers in the world during his time at Barcelona and Inter Milan. His biggest achievement came in the 2009/10 season when he played a major role for Mourinho's Inter as they won the historic treble, including the Champions League. That year, he was mainly played as a winger or even as an attacking midfielder - which shows just how versatile he was in his prime.

For Cameroon, his proudest achievement for his national came in 2000, when they won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games, defeating Spain in the final. In the same year, he also played a part in the country's success at the Africa Cup of Nations. Eto'o's second triumph at the same tournament came just two years later. All in all, it's fair to say the former forward had an iconic career and is regarded as one of the best African players of all time.

2 George Weah

Notable clubs: Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea

During his prime years in the 1990s, George Weah was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. He was praised for his speed, work-rate as well as his physical attributes. Mix that in with the finishing and technical ability, and you have yourself a proper elite striker. A fast, powerful player, Weah had an eye for a goal and certainly did his best to fill the void left in the AC Milan attack by Marco van Basten.

Receiving many individual awards during his illustrious playing days, the former two-time African Footballer of the Year won the Ballon d'Or in 1995. While many strikers back then were very much one-dimensional, Weah could operate outside the box and run towards the penalty box, proving to be a real nuisance for opposing defenders. Without question, the best striker in the history of African football.

1 Mohamed Salah

Notable clubs: Chelsea, Liverpool

While he had a forgettable spell at Stamford Bridge, he went on to become one of the best players in the world at Liverpool. With over 100 goals in his last five full Premier League campaigns with the Reds, Mohamed Salah's performances have taken the Merseyside outfit to another level in recent years, as he delivered goal after goal to end the historic club's 30-year wait for a league title in 2020.

To be an out-and-out winger and still break several goalscoring records is simply remarkable. Unquestionably one of the most complete forwards in the game and probably the best African to ever play in England. With several major accolades to his name, Salah still has a lot to offer - and it's a scary thought to see what he'll go on to achieve before he eventually decides to call it a career.