The ten best African players to have played in the Premier League.
10. Peter Ndlovu – Zimbabwe – Coventry City 1991-97
The Zimbabwean striker was one of the first Africans to play in the Premier League following its conception back in 1992 and his goals kept a plucky Coventry City afloat in the top flight for six years before moving on.
During his time at Highfield Road he notched up 39 goals in 176 appearances, and that’s not to mention the 38 goals in 100 games for his country that he wracked up too.
9. Jay-Jay Okocha – Nigeria – Bolton Wanderers 2002-06
So good they named him twice, he went on to bag 15 goals in 142 appearances for the Trotters over four years and began the trend for mid to small sized English clubs looking to older players to help establish and push them up the table.
8. Nwankwo Kanu – Nigeria – Arsenal (1999-2004), West Bromwich Albion (2004-06), Portsmouth (2006-12)
Was a genuinely exciting prospect when he joined Arsenal and played a major part in their successes during his time there, picking up two league titles and two FA Cup’s. A short spell with West Brom seemed to signal the end of his time in England but he joined Portsmouth in 2006 and helped the club to lift the FA Cup in his last season.
7. Tony Yeboah – Ghana – Leeds United 1995-97
Yeboah may not have been in England long, but he was there long enough to notch up 32 goals in 66 appearances for Leeds, and two of those will live on as two of the Premier League’s most explosive and memorable in its history.
6. Emmanuel Adebayor – Togo – Arsenal (2006-09), Manchester City (2009-12), Tottenham Hotspur (2012- )
Togo’s first footballing megastar burst onto the scene with Arsenal as an explosive young talent before earning a big money move to Manchester City. However, his time in the Northwest was short-lived and after a quiet lull at White Heart Lane he is starting to get his career back on track.
5. Bruce Grobbelaar – Zimbabwe – Liverpool (1981-1994), Southampton (1994-96)
The second Zimbabwean on the list saw his best days behind him by the time the Premier League was born, but he still commanded the Anfield area for two years before moving onto Southampton. He then spent the next several years bobbing around the lower leagues.
4. Kolo Toure – Ivory Coast – Arsenal (2002-09), Manchester City (2009-13), Liverpool (2013 -)
The centre back was oversaw Arsenal’s last charge for silverware, picking up a league winners medal and an FA Cup before moving onto Manchester City. Injury hampered his time at the Etihad, but he still managed to pick up a second Premier League title before moving to Liverpool last summer.
3. Michael Essien – Ghana – Chelsea 2005-14
The Ghanian was a powerhouse in every sense of the word during his time at Stamford Bridge and collected an impressive nine trophy’s over a nine year spell. Sadly left to join AC Milan during the January transfer window.
2. Yaya Toure – Ivory Coast – Manchester City 2010 –
The 30-year-old has only been with City since 2010 but has already gone a long way to establishing himself as one of the best players in the Premier League and was the mastermind behind their league and FA Cup titles and he will be central to any further instances of success.
1. Didier Drogba – Ivory Coast – Chelsea 2004-12
The Ivorian cut a popular figure during his time in England and backed up his £24m transfer fee by banging in 157 goals in 341 appearances. Went one better than Essien by winning 12 titles on only eight years, and crowned off his career in blue by lodging a Champions League victory before moving on to China.