Top 10 African Scorers in Premier League History

Countless players from Africa have starred in England, but who has scored the most goals? Find out here who are the highest African scorers in the Premier League.

Some of the greatest African scorers have graced the Premier League over the years. From George Weah to Mohamed Salah, the list is endless. The continent constantly produces more talents, and many more goal machines will surely arrive.

The African to score the most goals in Premier League history is Mohamed Salah. The three-time Golden Boot winner has scored 149 goals in over 200 appearances across his career in England for Liverpool and Chelsea.

Using stats from the English league itself, we give you a detailed list of the top 10 African scorers in Premier League history.

1) Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – 149 goals

After a tough first stint with Chelsea between 2014-16, Mohamed Salah returned to the Premier League in 2017 with Liverpool and became a household name.

The Egypt international is rated as one of the best attackers in the world and his record backs it. In over 200 games, he has scored 243 goals and won the Golden Boot three times. He claimed Player of the Season prize in 2017/18 and helped Liverpool end a 30-year wait for Premier League glory in 2019/20.

Salah surpassed Ivorian legend Didier Drogba to become the top African scorer in the Premier League era in style by scoring a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 5-0 win at Manchester United in October 2021.

2) Sadio Mané (Senegal) – 111 goals

Coming in second is Sadio Mane. The Senegal international starred in the Premier League from 2014 until June 2022. After spells at Southampton and Liverpool, he joined Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022 for a new challenge in Germany. He now plays for the Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr.

Mane raised his game to new heights at Anfield, earning recognition from the very best. In fact, Lionel Messi voted for him in the 2019 FIFA World Player of the Year award. He even shared the Golden Boot with Reds teammate Salah and Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019. His first Premier League title came the following year.

3) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) – 104 goals

The Ivorian striker was one of Jose Mourinho’s first signings as Chelsea’s manager in 2004. He was a relatively unknown talent from Marseille, but that soon changed.

Drogba proved to be a vital player for Chelsea across two spells between 2004-2012. He became the first African scorer to reach a century of goals, won two Golden Boot awards (2006-07 & 2009-10), and helped the Blues win the Premier League four times.

4) Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo) – 97 goals

Emmanuel Adebayor’s Premier League journey from 2006 to 2016 took him through four different clubs.

Adebayor cemented his status as a household name at Arsenal where he stepped into the shoes of the departed Thierry Henry as the club’s leading man. The striker then embarked on a rollercoaster ride with mixed spells at Manchester City and Tottenham. Finally, in 2016, he bid England farewell for the last time, concluding his adventure with a brief stint at Crystal Palace.

5) Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Nigeria) – 95 goals

Yakubu, a remarkable talent, showcased his skills in the Premier League by representing four different teams throughout his career. His impressive record includes scoring 95 goals in 295 games, with an average of 0.38 goals per match.

After his final stint with Blackburn in 2012, Yakubu bid farewell to football in November 2017, leaving behind a legacy of excellence on the pitch.

6) Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) – 82 goals

Riyad Mahrez holds the sixth position in this list, with an impressive 82 goals. The Algerian starred in the Premier League from 2014 to 2023. He made 82 appearances and contributed 61 assists, before departing Manchester City for Al-Ahl in Saudi Arabia.

Mahrez became a Premier League and PFA Player of the Year winner at Leicester City during a glorious four-year spell. He went on to taste further success at Manchester City. Four more titles have come his way at the Etihad, including a maiden Champions League crown.

7) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon) – 69 goals

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wanted to test himself in England when he swapped Borussia Dortmund for Arsenal in 2018, and it’s fair to say he aced it. In only 128 games, Auba scored 68 goals at the Emirates and shared the Golden Boot prize with Salah and Mane in 2019.

After a short, yet prolific, spell at Barcelona, Aubameyang resumed his Premier League career for the 2022/23 season with Chelsea. He later departed for French club Marseille in the summer of 2023.

8) Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast) – 68 goals

Wilfried Zaha began his career with Crystal Palace before moving to Manchester United in 2013. However, the Ivorian attacker struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford. He returned to Palace on loan before making the move permanent in 2015.

Zaha became a key player for the Eagles, emerging as one of the most exciting and dynamic wingers in the Premier League. He enjoyed a superb second spell at Selhurst Park, before joining Turkish giants Galatasaray in the summer of 2023.

9) Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast) – 62 goals

Ninth on the list is Yaya Toure, who is the highest-scoring African midfielder in Premier League history with 62 goals.

The four-time African Footballer of the Year starred for Manchester City between 2010 and 2018. In that time, he supplied many vital goals – such as that memorable winner in the 2011 FA Cup final – and helped the club win the Premier League three times.

10) Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) – 54 goals

Kanu is a legendary figure in the Premier League. The Nigerian was a key player in Arsenal’s iconic ‘Invincibles’ team that achieved the remarkable feat of going undefeated throughout the entire 2003/04 season.

With two Premier League titles under his belt, Kanu also made notable contributions during his stints with West Brom and Portsmouth before bidding farewell to the game in 2012.

Summary

Top African Scorers in Premier League History

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