Top 10 best African stars in Premier League history: top 1 is so deserving

The Premier League is a preferred destination for many African players, not only for its top-notch competitive quality but also due to its generous treatment policies. Below is the ranking of the top 10 outstanding African players in the history of this competition, based on their performance, influence, and achievements. 

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#10 JOHN OBI MIKEL

Mikel has never been the brightest star in Chelsea's lineup. However, his resilience and consistency helped him stay at Stamford Bridge for a decade despite numerous changes. Alongside Chelsea, Mikel won 2 Premier League titles, as well as the FA Cup, Champions League, and Europa League. In general, the Nigerian player achieved everything a footballer needs to in the colors of The Blues. Upon leaving Chelsea in 2017, Mikel was honored as a legend.

#9 NWANKWO KANU

Also hailing from Nigeria like Mikel, Kanu reached great heights in his career upon joining the Premier League. He was a member of the Ajax team that won the Champions League and later the Inter team that clinched the UEFA Cup. With his talent and experience, Kanu shone brightly at Arsenal, contributing significantly to their two Premier League titles. He was a key member of the legendary Invincibles squad. After leaving Arsenal, Kanu joined Portsmouth and continued his success with an FA Cup victory.

#8 LAUREN

Kanu's teammate, Lauren, is perhaps the most underrated player in the Invincibles lineup. Despite this, the Cameroonian player was one of the most stable and crucial links in the team, consistently performing impressively at right-back. During his seven years with Arsenal (2000-2007), Lauren won 2 Premier League titles, 3 FA Cups, and 2 FA Community Shields. He also reached the Champions League final once. After leaving Arsenal, Lauren followed Kanu to Portsmouth and added another FA Cup to his achievements.

#7 KOLO TOURE

Central defender Kolo Toure is one of the rare African players to win the Premier League with two different clubs. He was a teammate of Kanu and Lauren in Arsenal's Invincibles. Later, he moved to Manchester City and continued to win league titles. Toure could have made history if his Liverpool team had won the 2013/14 Premier League, a competition where The Kop had a significant chance but unexpectedly stumbled in the decisive stages.

#6 MICHAEL ESSIEN

Essien was brought to Chelsea by Mourinho from Lyon during a period when the French team was dominating Ligue 1. With boundless energy and versatile skills, Essien quickly instilled fear in the rest of the Premier League. In his first season, Essien helped Chelsea win the Premier League. The following season, he was voted Chelsea's Player of the Season, becoming the first African player to receive this honor.

#5 SADIO MANE

If not for Liverpool competing with an incredibly strong Man City, Sadio Mane would undoubtedly have more than one Premier League title in his trophy collection. Nevertheless, his collection is already impressive, including the Premier League title in 2020, along with the Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. Mane has a chance to win the Champions League again, having reached the final with Liverpool.

#4 MOHAMED SALAH

Salah's collective achievements are similar to Sadio Mane's. Both players have almost entirely collected all possible honors and could have won more if not for the formidable competition from a strong Man City in domestic competitions. However, Salah's individual accomplishments stand out. He has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times, with the most recent being this season. Before that, Salah also broke the record for the most goals in a Premier League season by an African player, surpassing Drogba's record of 117 goals.

#3 YAYA TOURE

Toure joined Manchester City during a transformative period for the club. Experts believe that the Ivorian player played a crucial role in shortening City's rise to prominence with his talent and widespread influence. In terms of versatility, few players are as complete as Toure - powerful, clever, adept at dribbling, and an excellent goal scorer. Toure's relationship with Man City, particularly with manager Guardiola, was not ideal in the final days. Nevertheless, he left Etihad with a proud legacy.

#2 RIYAD MAHREZ

After Kolo Toure, Mahrez is the only African player to have won the Premier League with two different clubs. He was a key member of the Leicester team that achieved the remarkable title in 2015/16. Moving to Manchester City, Mahrez added three more Premier League titles, with the latest being this season. Despite not being a regular starter in every match, Mahrez remains a crucial player in Guardiola's tactical setup.

#1 DIDIER DROGBA

Also having won four Premier League titles like Mahrez, but Drogba stands at number one on this list, and it's evident why. No African player, in particular, and arguably no player in general, has created an influence the way Drogba did at Chelsea. Moreover, Drogba surpasses many other players in that he has almost entirely secured a full set of honors, including both the Premier League and the Champions League.