Ace Football presents a detailed list of the best African players who have pursued a career in the Spanish top flight.
African players are usually described by their combination of physicality, pace and technical abilities. This is a big part of what distinguishes La Liga from other top football leagues in Europe.
In the history of African football, many players have pursued a career in the Spanish top flight. So, Let’s check out the top 10 African players who have played in La Liga.
10. Mohamed Sissoko 🇲🇱
Sissoko was part of Valencia’s top-class squad in the early 2000s. He came a little late, two years after their bitter defeat against Bayern Munich in the 2001 Champions League final.
However, he managed to win the La Liga title with the Bats in 2004. The ex-Mali international also won a UEFA Cup and a Super Cup trophy, continuing his key role at the team.
Sissoko played for Liverpool, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and Fiorentina later on in his career but never regained his Valencia form.
9. Thomas N’Kono 🇨🇲
Unlike almost every other top European league, African goalkeepers are always in demand in La Liga. A big reason for this is a rich history of successful goalkeepers working at the Spanish clubs.
Thomas N’Kono was the goalkeeper that inspired Gianluigi Buffon to start his football career. The Cameroonian is arguably the greatest African goalkeeper of all time, featuring in over 300 games for Espanyol.
After the club’s relegation in 1989, N’Kono stayed for another two years and then spent the final years of his career playing for different clubs in Spain and Bolivia. He is currently working as Espanyol’s goalkeeping coach.
8. Frederic Kanoute 🇲🇱
Another Malian great on the list, Kanoute, was a key player for Sevilla during his spell at the club. In 209 appearances for the Andalusian side, the striker scored 89 goals.
Kanoute won two UEFA Cups and two Copa del Rey titles at Sevilla. He also won the African Footballer of the Year award in 2007, the first non-African born star to do so. Kanoute’s career might not be as glorious as others players on the list. However, his legendary status at the club makes him one of the greatest African players in La Liga history.
7. Noureddine Naybet 🇲🇦
Neybet played for eight years at Deportivo La Coruna, establishing his place among the club’s greatest-ever players.
Manchester United were eyeing a move for the Moroccan centre-back in 1999. However, he eventually stayed at the Spanish side, participating in their miraculous La Liga triumph in 2000.
Neybet finally secured a move to Premier League in 2006, joining Tottenham in the later stages of his career. However, he did not reach the same heights as he did with La Coruna.
6. Geremi 🇨🇲
Real Madrid’s Galactico side in the 2000s is arguably the most star-dusted squad in the history of the game. However, even in that team, there were underrated players who paved the way for the big stars to make their impact.
Geremi was an incredibly versatile midfielder, forming a duo alongside Steve McManaman in the Blancos’ midfield. He spent most of his days at Real Madrid out of the starting lineup. However, he was still nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2000 for his outstanding performances at Santiago Bernabeu.
The Cameroonian star won two Champions League trophies and the Spanish Super Cup at Real Madrid. He finally left the Blancos in 2003 and played for Chelsea and Newcastle in the Premier League.
5. Seydou Keita 🇲🇱
Pep Guardiola selected Keita as one of his first signings when he was appointed as the Barcelona manager in 2008. The Malian star quickly developed into a key player at Camp Nou, displaying impressive performances in midfield.
Just like Geremi, Keita was surrounded by stars in his side’s squad. However, his team-centred style and great passing abilities earned him 100 appearances at Barca.
The Malian won two Champions League titles, two La Liga trophies, and two Copa del Ray honours under Guardiola. After leaving Barcelona, Keita spent short spells at Roma and Valencia and finally hung his boots in 2017.
4. Mahamadou Diarra 🇲🇱
We have another former Mali international in fourth place. Having won five consecutive Ligue 1 titles, Diarra joined Real Madrid in 2007.
The midfielder kept on winning back-to-back league titles for another two years at Santiago Bernabeu. His precise tackles and aggression made him one of the best defensive midfielders of that era.
The African star left Real Madrid in 2011 as he returned to Ligue 1 to play for Monaco.
3. Jacques Songo’o 🇨🇲
Another great African goalkeeper, Songo’o, is among the best keepers in the history of La Liga.
The Cameroonian keeper was crucial to Deportivo La Coruna’s title-winning 1999-2000 campaign. However, he was far from a one-season wonder. He had won the Zamora Trophy three seasons earlier, already established as one of the best goalkeepers of the league.
Songo’o also represented Cameroon in four World Cups, earning 46 caps with the Lions. He currently coaches Andre Onana at the national team.
2. Yaya Toure 🇨🇮
Toure is widely considered among the greatest African midfielders of all time. Most football fans remember Toure for his legendary career at Manchester City. However, he contributed significantly to Barcelona’s success in his three years at the club.
The Ivorian joined Barcelona from Monaco in 2007, kick-starting his career at the top level of European football. Toure was everything Pep Guardiola wanted from a versatile midfielder.
He could play as a classic central midfielder or even drop deep into the backline. He started as a centre-back in Barca’s Champions League final against Manchester United in 2009.
Before leaving for Man City, Toure won two La Liga titles at Camp Nou. He has recently joined Tottenham to work as an academy coach.
1. Samuel Eto’o 🇨🇲
We have to name another star from the 2009 final to conclude the list of the best African players in La Liga history. Samuel Eto’o scored the opener for Barcelona before Lionel Messi doubled their lead to secure the Champions League glory.
This was Eto’o’s second Champions League trophy at Barcelona. He had previously won the trophy in 2006, scoring a vital goal to prevent Arsenal from winning the final.
Eto’o also won three La Liga titles, and two Copa del Rey honours in Spain. Mallorca’s all-time top-scorer left Camp Nou to join Inter after the 2009 final, only to win the European trophy again a year later.
With Cameroon, Eto’o won two Africa Cup of Nations trophies while finishing as the competition’s top-scorer twice.
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