The African continent continues to produce world-class footballers, Now, with footballers originating from different countries across the globe and being poached by the top football clubs, selecting the best of the best has become much of a difficult task.
We attempted to strike a balance between recent form and overall quality, and the result is a list that includes exhilarating attackers, a defensive colossus, and stars from some of the major leagues of the world.
7 Best African Players Right Now
So, let’s start right away with our first on the list. Do bear in mind, this list does not follow any particular order. Hence, not a rating among African talents.
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Victor Osimhen
Our first talent is Victor Osimhen, who is rumored to be a transfer target for Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Bayern Munich has the type of track record that suggests he’s in high demand.
Victor James Osimhen who was born December 1998) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Napoli as well as his National Team, Nigeria.
Over the last four seasons, the Nigerian striker has scored in roughly most of his match games with 14 goals in 27 Serie A appearances just last season. This explains why Napoli is terrified of losing him.
Eleven goals in 21 appearances for Nigeria is also an impressive tally, and his absence from this year’s Africa Cup of Nations was felt keenly by the Super Eagles.
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Franck Kessie
Barcelona-bound Kessie is yet another Ivorian to make the list. The box-to-box midfielder played a key role in AC Milan’s Serie A title triumph last season, making 31 appearances as the Rossoneri narrowly defeated archrivals Inter.
It’s easy to see why Barcelona wanted him: Kessie is a true midfield all-rounder, capable of contributing in all phases of the game.
Still, only 25, the former Atalanta player has 58 caps for Ivory Coast, where he made his senior debut at the age of 17.
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Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey, a Ghanaian midfielder, may not be a household name. He has, however, made waves in the Premier League and beyond.
Partey was on loan to Mallorca and Almera before returning to Atlético in 2015. With Atlético, he won the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup in 2018. His transfer to Arsenal in 2020 set a new record for the highest transfer fee ever paid for a Ghanaian Footballer, at £45 million (approximately €50 million). He also played for Atlético Madrid in Spain, where he had tremendous success.
He was also named one of the season’s top performers by WhoScored. Thomas ranked second in the league in tackles per game and third in successful dribbles per game, which is no small feat. As Ghana prepared for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns, Partey was promoted to vice-captain.
Arsenal is either all or nothing. Partey appeared in an original sports documentary series that followed the club throughout the 2021-22 season, spending time behind the scenes and off the field with the coaching staff and players.
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Achraf Hakimi
Hakimi, who is only 23, has already played for four of Europe’s biggest clubs: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain.
The Morocco international is an attack-minded full-back who can play on either flank and higher up the pitch if needed. He likes to get forward by overlapping or underlapping.
Indeed, Hakimi is more than just a flier: he also has the technical ability to come infield and create, which he does with ease for both club and country.
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Kalidou Koulibaly
Koulibaly is good enough to play for most teams in the world, so Napoli should be grateful that he’s spent the last eight seasons at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
During that time, silverware has been scarce, but Koulibaly has been consistently excellent at the heart of Napoli’s backline. He’s equally valuable to Senegal, with whom he won the Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Koulibaly’s physical strength and dominance in the air, combined with his passing range and ball-carrying ability, make him a valuable asset in possession.
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Sadio Mane
Liverpool losing Mane has been real trouble for the club, and replacing him has been difficult.
Senegal’s star player has been outstanding during his seven-year stay at Anfield, and he will be sorely missed by Jurgen Klopp’s team. He was the perfect fit for Klopp’s Liverpool in many ways: he’s hardworking, energetic, dynamic, and a superb technical footballer.
No doubt, Mane would be equally exceptional in Bayern Munich. Sadio Mane is also a leader, as evidenced by his performances at the Africa Cup of Nations and Senegal’s successful World Cup qualification campaign.
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Mohamed Salah
Salah was named PFA Player of the Year in 2021/22 after helping Liverpool win both domestic cups and finish second in the Premier League and the Champions League.
In all competitions, the Egyptian scored 31 goals in 51 games. He’s a devastating finisher who can beat defenders with either speed or trickery.
There was disappointment at the Cup of Nations and in the World Cup play-offs, but Salah remains Africa’s best player.
That’s all for our list of top African talents. Do read other football stories on Sportsfuss
