Ace Football presents a detailed list of the top African footballers in the history of the Italian top flight.
African footballers have taken Italian football by storm in recent years. Players like Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi rose to prominence in Serie A before pursuing careers in other leagues.
At the same time, established stars such as Kalidou Koulibaly and Franck Kessie are still active at the top clubs of Italian football. However, the presence of African stars in Serie A is not a recent trend. Italian top flight has a long history of hosting great African talents.
Let’s take a look at the greatest African stars in the history of Serie A.
10. Mohamed Salah 🇪🇬
As a Chelsea player, Salah spent loan spells at Fiorentina and Roma between 2015 and 2016. However, his gradual development convinced the Giallorossi to sign him permanently in July 2016.
In his 83 games for Roma, the Egyptian star scored 34 goals and provided 22 assists. Salah did not win a trophy at Roma. However, his two-year spell at Olimpico prepared him to become a top-class striker after his move to Liverpool in 2017.
9. Medhi Benatia 🇲🇦
Benatia started his Serie A career at Udinese before moving to Roma in 2013. His first spell at the Olympico Stadium was so impressive that it persuaded Bayern Munich to sign him.
The Moroccan centre-back won back-to-back Bundesliga titles before returning to Serie A to play for Juventus. The versatile defender featured in 59 games for the Bianocneri, winning three consecutive Scudettos and two Coppa Italia trophies.
However, Benatia’s Serie A spell came to a sudden end when he surprised fans by joining Al Duhail in 2019. The Ex-Morocco international hung his boots in December 2021.
8. Nwankwo Kanu 🇳🇬
Most football fans recognize Kanu for his five-year spell at Arsenal. However, the Nigerian star had spent a successful stint with Inter before his move to London.
The Olympic gold medal winner joined Inter from Ajax in January 1999. The player won one of his two African Footballer of the Year awards during his time at San Siro. He was also a part of the Inter side that won the UEFA Cup in 1998. However, he suffered a heart issue that kept him out of action for most of his time at Inter.
7. Kalidou Koulibaly 🇸🇳
Kalidou Koulibaly is the only player on the list who is still active in Serie A. Following a move from Genk in 2014, the Senegalese defender has developed into one of the best centre-backs in European football.
Koulibaly has featured in 302 games for Napoli, scoring 13 goals in the process. His presence at the heart of Partenopei’s backline has attracted interest from several top clubs. However, he has remained loyal to the Italian side. Until now, the Senegal star has won a Coppa Italia and an Italian Super Cup with Napoli.
6. Obafemi Martins 🇳🇬
Martins established a reputation as an African prodigy while he was coming up through the academy ranks of Regina. He subsequently moved to Inter, where he made his Serie A debut in 2002.
He scored in a Champions League semi-final against Milan the next year. However, it was not enough for the Nerazzurri to go through. The striker featured in 136 senior games for Inter, scoring 49 goals and providing 13 assists. During his successful Inter career, the Nigerian won a Serie A title and two Coppa Italia trophies. However, the arrivals of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hernan Crespo limited his game time at the club during the 2005-2006 season. He then decided to continue his career at Newcastle.
5. Sulley Muntari 🇬🇭
Muntari is the kind of central midfielder that his services can easily go underappreciated. The Ghanaian star started his Serie A career with Udinese before joining Inter in 2008. He won a Champions League trophy, two Serie A titles and two Copa Italia honours with the Nerazzurri. The African star then joined Milan, where he spent three years.
Muntari’s great versatility also earned him appearances in three World Cups with Ghana. In his 67 caps for the Black Stars, Muntari scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists.
4. Kwadwo Asamoah 🇬🇭
Asamoah holds the record for the African player with the most Serie A titles and appearances. During his spells at Udinese, Juventus, Inter, Torino, and Cagliari, Asamoah featured in 279 Italian top-flight games.
The Ghanaian midfielder joined Juventus from Udinese in 2012, where he featured in 156 games for the Bianconeri. He won six back-to-back Serie A titles and four Copa Italia trophies during his spell at Juventus. Inter signed Asamoha in 2018, but he left the club two years later to join Cagliari.
3. Taribo West 🇳🇬
West is one of the Serie A greats that have played for both Inter and their city-rivals Milan. The Nigerian star was a vital part of Inter’s backline when they won the UEFA Cup in 1998.
Before that, West had already secured an Olympic gold medal with Nigeria’s golden generation in 1996. He also appeared in two World Cups with the Super Eagles. West made 44 appearances for Inter before joining Milan in 2001.
2. Samuel Eto’o 🇨🇲
Eto’o is a regular on our lists of top African players of all time. The Cameroon legend is the most decorated player in continents’ history and arguably its greatest-ever striker.
Following a glorious campaign at Barcelona, Eto’o joined Inter in 2009. There, the two-time AFCON winner managed to win a historic treble under Jose Mourinho. It came a year after his Champions League win with Barcelona, with Eto’o scoring in both finals.
Eto’o’s time at Inter was short, but it was enough to secure his fourth (and last) African Footballer of the Year award. The Barcelona legend is now working as the president of the Cameroon FA.
1. George Weah 🇱🇷
The current president of Liberia is the only African star to win the Ballon d’Or. Weah is the all-time African top scorer in Serie A, with a host of spectacular goals during his career. His stunning goal against Verona is among the most famous goals in the history of the competition.
Weah won the Scudetto during his first campaign at Milan, which led to his Ballon d’Or triumph in 1995. The four-time African Footballer of the Year winner also spearheaded Milan to win another Serie A title in 1998. Before leaving San Siro to join Chelsea, Weah scored 46 goals in his four-and-a-half seasons stay at Milan.
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