Top 5 African players in Juventus’ history

Let’s check out the best African players to have played for the Bianconeri.

As Serie A’s most decorated club, Juventus have always been a dream destination for young players who have developed through the Italian clubs.

With Serie A being historically affiliated with African players, Juventus have been home to some of the continent’s best players.

Let’s take a look at the best African players to have played for Juventus.

5- Armand Traore

Following a move from Monaco’s academy, Traore joined Arsenal’s U18 team in 2005. Two years later, his brilliant performances earned him a spot in the first team. However, Arsene Wenger decided to send the left-back out on loan to get more game time elsewhere.

Oddly enough, Juventus showed interest in signing the Senegalese defender. He missed most of the games in the first half of the season due to injury. However, he made 12 appearances for the Bianconeri after coming back from the injury.

Traore’s performances did not convince Juve to sign him permanently. However, upon returning to Arsenal, the defender attracted interest from QPR and moved to the club in 2011.

4- Medhi Benatia

Benatia left Serie A giants Roma to join Bayern Munich in 2014. However, he struggled for playing time under Pep Guardiola due to solid performances of Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez. The Bavarians loaned Benatia to Juventus in July 2016, with the Bianconeri making his deal permanent a year later.

The Moroccan centre-back found a solid start to his career at the Allianz Stadium. He made a total of 59 appearances for Juve in his two-and-a-half-year stay at the club, winning three Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia cups.

However, Benatia’s game time at Juventus gradually declined, with the defender making only five league appearances during the 2018-19 campaign. His last highlight at the club was scoring in Juve’s 4-0 win over Roma in the 2018 Coppa Italia final. The Morocco star eventually ended his stay at the club in January 2019, joining Qatari side Al-Duhail.

3- Stephen Appiah

Following a Scudetto-winning spell at Parma, Appiah established himself as one of the most promising youngsters of the Serie A. Juventus were quick in finalizing a €6m deal for the Ghanaian star after his short spell at Brescia ended in 1997.

Appiah quickly established himself as a reliable midfield option in Juve’s squad. He went on to make 69 appearances for the Bianconeri while helping them win the Italian Super Cup in 2004.

The young midfielder was on his way to becoming an established Serie A star when he suffered a knee injury. Upon recovering from the injury, however, he was far from his best form, struggling to get back his minutes at Juventus. He eventually decided to leave the club to join Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce in 2005.

2- Mohamed Sissoko

Another defensive midfielder, Sissoko, moved to Juventus in 2008. The Malian star had already played in Liverpool and Valencia before joining the club, developing himself into a versatile player.

He used this quality to get as much game time possible under his former coach Claudio Ranieri at Juventus. Having quickly established himself as a starter, Sissoko made 100 appearances for the Bianconeri in his three seasons at the club.

Sissoko’s combative and highly physical style of play often drew comparisons with Patrick Vieira. Juventus fans gave him the nickname ‘La Piovra” (the octopus) for his exceptional ball-winning abilities.

The Mali star suffered a string of injuries that continued throughout the 2010-11 season. His season-ending knee surgery in March 2011 persuaded the club to accept Paris Saint-Germain’s €7 million offer for the midfielder.

1- Kwadwo Asamoah

Asamoah started his career through Torino’s academy ranks. He went on loan to several clubs before CAF selected him as Africa’s most promising youngster in 2010. Following a successful stint at Udinese, Juventus signed Asamoah on a €9m deal.

The Ghanaian star scored in his debut against Napoli as Juventus eliminated the Partenopei in the extra time of their Coppa Italia battle. With his great pace and exceptional technical abilities, Asamoah played in several midfield positions during his Juventus days.

Mainly playing as a box-to-box or defensive midfielder, Asamoah made 116 appearances for the Bianconeri. He won six Serie A titles, four Coppa Italia cups and three Italian Super Cups during his stay at the club. The Ghana star left the Allianz Stadium in July 2018 and joined Inter on a two-year contract.