Football is currently the most popular sport known all over the world. It unites different countries and continents together. The world governing body of football is FIFA which means Federation of International Football Association, while the governing body of football in Africa is known as CAF which means Confederation of African Football. The African Footballer of the Year Award is presented to the best African footballer each year and has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football since 1992.
Football is well acknowledged as the most popular sport in the world. Millions of people play and follow the game regularly and when the football world cup comes around every four years, over a billion viewers tune in to watch the game. On the richest footballers in Africa we have done a thorough research and have compiled the list of the top 20 most richest footballers in Africa and their net worth.
So therefore we present to you the top 20 most richest footballers in Africa and their Net Worth.
20. Salomon Kalou
Salomon Kalou is an Ivorian footballer who plays as a striker and winger for German club Hertha BSC and Ivory Coast national football team. He previously played for Feyenoord from 2003 to 2006 and Chelsea from 2006 to 2012. He was born on 5th August 1985 in Oume, Cote d’Ivoire. He is currently 33 years old.
While at Chelsea he won numerous honours, including the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, four FA Cups and the League Cup. He moved to Likke on a free transfer in July 2012 upon the expiry of his contract at Chelsea, where he spent two seasons before moving to Hertha for an undisclosed fee.
He is a full time player for his country Ivory Coast since 2007. Salomon Kalou has amassed 97 international caps and represented his country at three FIFA World Cups, six Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the 2008 Olympics. Salomon Kalou is very wealthy and currently number 20 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $12 million.
19. Fredric Kanoute
Fredric Kanoute is a retired Malian professional footballer who played as a striker for several top-tier clubs in Europe, enjoying his greatest success with La Liga side Sevilla. Kanouté was named the 2007 African Footballer of the Year, the first player born outside Africa to win the award. He was born on 2nd September 1977 in France. He is currently 41 years old. He is currently married to Fatima Kanoute.
Frédéric Kanouté began his career with Lyon in France before moving to the Premier League club West Ham United in 2010. After a spell at their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Frédéric Kanouté moved to Spanish club Sevilla where he won two consecutive UEFA Cups in 2006 and 2007 in addition to various other European and domestic honours and remains the club’s highest-scoring foreign player. He joined Beijing Goan in June 2012.
Despite appearing 16 times for France U-21, Frédéric Kanouté was a member of the Malian squad which reached the semi-finals of the 2004 African Cup of Nations and also featured in their selections for the tournament in 2006 and 2010. His international career ended in 2010 with a total of 39 caps and 23 goals. Frédéric Kanouté is very wealthy and currently number 19 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $13 million.
18. Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Yakubu Aiyegbeni is a Nigerian former professional and international footballer who played as a striker. His nickname is “The Yak”. He was born on 22nd November 1982 in Benin City, Edo State in the south southern part of Nigeria. He is currently 36 years old. He started his career with Julius Berger in Lagos, Nigeria as a teenager in the Nigerian Premier League. He was later loaned to Portuguese club Gil Vicente.
His performances in the 2002-2003 UEFA Champions League for Maccabi Haifa earned him a loan move to English club Portsmouth which became permanent as they were promoted to the Premier League in 2003. He has since appeared in over 250 Premier League matches for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn Rovers. He is the second highest African goal scorer in Premier League history with 96 goals.
He is the third highest goal scorer in the history of the Nigeria national football team and represented them at four African Cup of Nations finals, the 2010 FIFA World cup and the 2000 Summer Olympics. Yakubu Aiyegbeni is very wealthy and currently number 18 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $14.5 million.
17. Benni McCarthy
Benni McCarthy is a former South African professional and international footballer who is currently the head coach of Cape Town City in South Africa and formerly played as a forward striker for his country South Africa and English Premier League club West Ham United. He was born on 12th November 1977 in Cape Town, South Africa. He is currently 41 years old. McCarthy is the South Africa national team’s all-time top goal scorer with over 31 goals to his credit. He is also the only South African to win the UEFA Champions League, doing so with Porto in 2003–2004.
Benni McCarthy was born in Cape Town and grew up in Hanover Park on the Cape Flats, an area notorious for its high unemployment rate and gang violence. He is the son of Dudley and Dora McCarthy and has two brothers and a sister. McCarthy began playing at a local side called Young Pirates, which was managed by his uncles. He then joined the youth structures of a local amateur club called Crusaders. At the age of 17 years old, he was signed by first division club Seven Stars.
In 1997, after an impressive showing at the African Youth Championship and FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia, he joined Ajax in the Eredivisie, where he scored nine goals and was crowned champion in his first season. After a relatively successful 1998-1999 seasons, he was sold to Spanish side Celta de Vigo for a transfer fee reported to be over €6 million, and was at that time the most expensive transfer for a South African player. Benni McCarthy is very wealthy and currently number 17 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $16 million.
16. Kevin-Prince Boateng
Kevin-Prince Boateng is a German/Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Barcelona on loan from Italian club Sassuolo. He is currently a midfielder who can also play as a forward. Kevin-Prince Boateng is known for his strength, footspeed and ball-juggling tricks. He was born on 6th March 1987 in West Berlin, Germany. He is currently 32 years old. In 2007, he got married to Jennifer Boateng and divorced her in 2016. He is currently married to Melissa Satta and the marriage is blessed with three lovely children.
A 2014 profile on FIFA’s official website described Kevin-Prince Boateng as “blessed with strength, speed, killer instinct in front of goal, and an uncommon flamboyance in the attacking third”. Throughout his career, Boateng has represented various clubs in Germany and Italy, and also had spells in England and Spain.
He was born in Germany. He represented Germany internationally at youth level, although at senior level he later represented his real country Ghana 15 times between 2010 and 2014, scoring two goals, and took part at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups with the team. Kevin-Prince Boateng is very wealthy and currently number 16 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $20 million.
15. Andre Ayew
Andre Ayew is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe, on loan from Championship club Swansea City and currently a player at the Ghana national team. He was born on 17th December 1989 in Seclin, France. He is currently 29 years old. He is currently married to Yvonne Ayew.
He has won the African Footballer of the Year three times and was on the list of FIFA 100 member. In 2011, Andre Ayew was named the BBC African Footballer of the Year and Ghanaian Footballer of the Year. Andre Ayew began his career in Ghana, playing for Nania, while debuting for the club at the age of 14 years old.
In 2005, he signed with his father’s former club, Marseille and spent two seasons in the club’s youth academy before making his debut in the 2007-2008 seasons. Andre Ayew has been a full international for Ghana since 2008 and has earned over 65 caps. At youth level, he starred for and captained the under-20 team that won both the 2009 African Youth Championship and the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Andre Ayew is very wealthy and currently number 15 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $28 million.
14. Asamoah Gyan
Asamoah Gyan is a Ghanaian professional and international footballer who plays as a striker for Kayserispor and captains the Ghanaian national team. He was born on 22nd November 1985 in Accra, Ghana. He is currently 33 years old. He is currently married to Gifty Gyan. Asamoah Gyan began his career in 2003 with Ghanaian Premier League club Liberty Professionals scoring ten goals in sixteen matches.
In 2010, Asamoah Gyan joined Premier League club Sunderland, breaking the club’s transfer record and netting on ten occasions in thirty-four Premier League matches during two seasons. In 2011, Asamoah Gyan joined Al Ain of the UAE Pro-League on loan and became the league’s top-goal scorer, scoring 24 times in 27 matches. In the 2013-2014 seasons, Asamoah Gyan scored on 44 occasions in 40 matches with Al Ain.
Asamoah Gyan is the all-time leading goal scorer of the Ghana national team with 51 goals to his credit. He represented Ghana at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. With 6 goals, he is the top African goal scorer in the history of the World Cup. Asamoah Gyan has also represented Ghana at the 2004 Summer Olympics and in seven Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2017 respectively. Asamoah Gyan is very wealthy and currently number 14 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $28.5 million.
13. Papa Diop
Papa Diop is a retired Senegalese footballer. His preferred position was defensive midfield but could also play as a centre back, where he previously played at Lens. His nickname is “The Wardrobe” given to him by Fulham fans, due to his height and large frame. He was born on 28th January 1978 in Rufisque, Senegal. He is currently 41 years. He is currently married to Mama Bouba Diop.
Papa Diop is well known for his strength and aggression, long-range shots, solid style of play and his leadership. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Patrick Vieira.
Papa Diop has scored a total of 11 international goals for Senegal which launched his national team onto a global stage. The 1–0 defeat of then-world champions France was the opening match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup and first ever matches at the FIFA World Cup. Papa Diop is very wealthy and currently number 13 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $30 million.
12. Obafemi Martins
Obafemi Martins is a famous Nigerian international and professional football player. He has been described as one of the best goal scorers in the game of football and the greatest and most skillful football player of all time and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa.
He was born on 28th October 1984 in Lagos State in the south western part of Nigeria. He is currently 33 years old. He was a former striker for the Nigerian national team, Super Eagles and English Premier League club New Castle United and Spanish League cub Inter Milan.
Obafemi Martins currently plays as a forward striker for Shanghai Greenland Shenhua. He is popularly known for his speed on the ball and his ability to score amazing goals. After leaving Nigeria for Italy at the age of 16 years old, he has since then played for several top-division clubs around Europe.
In 2002, he began his senior career at the Italian Serie A club Inter Milan, before moving to the English Premier League club Newcastle United in 2006. Obafemi Martins is very wealthy and currently number 12 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $35 million.
11. Samuel Osei Kufour
Samuel Osei Kufour is a Ghanaian retired professional footballer who played as a defender. Known for his great physical power, he is best remembered for his time with Bayern Munich, whom he represented for over a decade, winning a total of 14 honours, and playing in nearly 250 official matches. He was born on 3rd September 1976 in Kumasi, Ghana. He is currently 42 years old. He is currently married to Francisca Kuffour.
Samuel Osei Kuffour appeared with the Ghanaian national team in the 2006 World Cup, as well as in four Africa Cup of Nations. He was brought to Europe by Torino F.C in 1991 at the age of 15 years old, after playing junior football for local teams in his native country. He joined FC Bayern Munich in 1993 from the Italian club. Samuel Osei Kuffour spent 11 seasons with Bayern Munich, rising from the youth teams to be a prominent first-squad member who lifted the UEFA Champions League with the club.
He was an integral part of the squad that won the 2000-2001 Champions Leagues, also scoring the winning goal in the 2001 Intercontinental Cup, being subsequently named man of the match. Also in that year, he finished second in African Footballer of the Year. Samuel Osei Kuffour is very wealthy and currently number 11 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $37 million.
10. Sulley Muntari
Sulley Muntari is a Ghanaian professional and international footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Spanish club Albacete and his country Ghana national team. During his time with Internazionale, he helped the team to win the Champions League in 2009–2010 and the Serie A title in 2008–2009 and 2009–2010. He was born on 27th August 1984 in Konongo, Ghana. He is currently 34 years old. He is currently married to Menaye Donkor.
He was also part of the Portsmouth team that won the FA Cup in 2007-2008. He is a fulltime international player for Ghana since 2002. He has earned over 80 caps for the national team and has been selected for two Africa Cup of nations tournaments and three FIFA World Cups.
Sulley Muntari abilities first came to light in youth tournaments, while he was playing for Liberty Professionals youth team. He became a regular member of Ghana Under-20 team at the age of 16 years old as they finished runners-up at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina, losing out to the hosts in the final. Despites his amazing performances during a trial with Manchester United after the tournaments, he ended up joining Italian club Udinese. Sulley Muntari is very wealthy and currently number 10 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $40 million.
9. Kolo Toure
Kolo Toure is an Ivorian football coach and former footballer. He played as a defender for Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Celtic and the Ivory Coast national team. He is currently a first team coach at Leicester City as well as a member of the coaching staff for the Ivory Coast. He was born on 19th March 1981 in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire. He is currently 38 years old.
In 2002, Kolo Touré was signed to Arsenal, where he made 326 appearances for the club. In 2009, he moved to Manchester City, where he was joined a year later by his younger brother Yaya Toure, and helped Man City to earn its first league title in 44 years. In 2013, Kolo Touré was transferred to Liverpool.
He is one of the eight players who have won the Premier League with two clubs, having won it with Manchester City and Arsenal. He also won the Scottish Premiership with Celtic. Kolo Touré is the second most capped player for Ivory Coast with 120 appearances from 2000 to 2015. He represented the team at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments. Kolo Touré also represented the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations tournaments between 2002 and 2015, helping them finish runner-up in 2006 and 2012, while winning in 2015. Kolo Toure is very wealthy and currently number 9 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $43 million.
8. John Obi Mikel
John Obi Mikel is a Nigerian professional and international footballer who captains both English club Middlesbrough and the Nigeria national team as a defensive midfielder. He was a former midfielder in Chelsea. He was born on 22nd April 1987 in Jos, Plateau State in the northern part of Nigeria. He is currently 32 years old. He is originally from Abia State in the south eastern part of Nigeria.
Mikel Obi started his football career at the age of 12 years old when picked as a talented footballer from over 3000 young talents in Nigeria to play in Pepsi Football Academy, a team that was at that time well known for travelling across Nigeria scouting young footballers with the potential to play professionally. Mikel Obi stood out to scouts and was later picked to play for top-flight club Plateau United. Mikel Obi made headlines for his country at the FIFA Under-17 World Championships held in Finland.
In the summer of 2005, Mikel Obi played for Nigeria at the FIFA World Youth Championships held in the Netherlands. He had an excellent tournament until Nigeria reached the final, where they lost 2–1 to Argentina. After the game with Argentina, Mikel Obi won the Silver Ball after being voted the tournament’s second-best player after Argentina legend Lionel Messi.
Mikel Obi has received many positive comments for his performance in the matches. However, since being sent off in a match against Reading on 14th October 2006, Mikel Obi was fined on three separate occasions by Chelsea for turning up late to training. John Mikel Obi is very wealthy and currently number 8 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $50 million.
7. Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor is a famous Togolese professional and international football player, who played as a forward striker for his country Togo national team and a former forward striker for English Premier League club Arsenal. He was born on 26th February 1984 in the city of Lome, Togo to Nigerian parents of Yoruba descent. He is currently 34 years old.
Emmanuel Adebayor was born and raised in Togo, where he spent most of his childhood and youth life and also completed his primary and secondary school education. He also attended Sports Development Centre of Lomé in Togo also known as Sporting Club de Lomé. Emmanuel Adebayor was spotted playing for Sporting Club de Lomé by scouts from Metz, who brought him to France in 1999.
On 17th November 2001, he made his Ligue 1 debut against Sochaux. Following Metz’s relegation, he played a season in Ligue 2, where he scored 13 goals in 34 league matches and which prompted his summer move to Monaco in 2003. Emmanuel Adebayor is very wealthy and currently number 7 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $57 million.
6. Michael Essien
Michael Essien is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for Sabail in the Azerbaijan Premier League as a midfielder. He has also been capped for the Ghana national team more than 50 times. Michael Essien started his career playing for Liberty Professionals in Ghana. He was born on 3rd December 1982 in Accra, Ghana. He is currently 36 years old.
In 2003, he joined Lyon. While at Lyon, Michael Essien won back-to-back league titles in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. In 2005, Michael Essien signed a contract deal with Premier League club Chelsea for a £24.4 million transfer fee. While in Chelsea, he helped the club to win the Premier Leagues in 2006 and 2010, as well as three FA Cups and one League Cup.
Michael Essien represented his country Ghana at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship, with the latter team finishing as runner-up. Michael Essien made his senior team debut in January 2002 and has represented his nation at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. He has also represented his country Ghana at the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. Michael Essien is a physically strong midfielder, who often plays in a central midfield role. He has often been referred to as a box-to-box midfielder for his ability to exert energy in supporting both offensive and defensive play and for his powerful and tough tackling skills. Michael Essien is very wealthy and currently number 6 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $70 million.
5. Kanu Nwankwo
Kanu Nwankwo is a famous Nigerian football player. He has been described as one of the greatest and most skillful football players of all time and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa. He was born on 1st August 1976 in Owerri, Imo State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. He is currently 41 years old.
Kanu Nwankwo is originally from Abia State in the south eastern part of Nigeria, but was born and bred in Owerri, Imo State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. He began his career at Nigerian league club known as Federation Works, before moving to Iwuanyanwu Nationale. After a notable performance at the FIFA U-17 World Championships, he was signed by AFC Ajax in 1993 for a contract deal worth €207,047. He made his Ajax debut in 1994 and went on to score 25 goals in 54 appearances.
Kanu Nwankwo is currently a retired Nigerian footballer who played as a forward striker for the Super Eagles of Nigeria national team and the English Premier League Club Arsenal and Portsmouth. His name, Nwankwo simply means Child born on Nkwo market day in the Igbo language of the south eastern part of Nigeria. Kanu Nwankwo is very wealthy and currently number 5 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $100 million.
4. Austin Jay Jay Okocha
Austin Jay-Jay Okocha is a famous Nigerian football player. He has been described as a legend in the game of football and the greatest and most skillful football player of all time and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa. He was born on 14th August 1973 in Enugu coal city of Enugu State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. He is currently 44 years old.
He played as an attacking midfielder for the Super Eagles of Nigeria national team and English premier league club Bolton Wanderers in England and was the captain of the Nigeria Super Eagles for many years before retiring from the national team. He is a quick and skillful playmaker, who is widely regarded as the best Nigerian player of his generation and one of the greatest African players of all time.
Jay-Jay Okocha was known for his confidence, technique, creativity and dribbling skills as well as his use of feints and step-over tactics in humiliating and frustrating players that challenge him on a pitch. Due to his skills, he was described by Ronaldinho as the legendary king of football and a mentor to young athletes. Jay-Jay Okocha is very wealthy and currently number 4 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $150 million.
3. Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba is a famous Ivorian professional and international footballer, who played as a forward striker for his country Ivory Coast national team and a former forward striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. He currently plays for American club Phoenix Rising as a forward striker. He has been described as one of the greatest and most creative footballers in Africa and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa. He is the all-time top goal scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team.
He was born on 11th March 1978 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He is currently 40 years old. At the age of 5 years old, Didier Drogba was sent to France by his parents to live with his uncle, Miche Goba, a professional footballer. Didier Drogba was an active Ivory Coast international player between 2002 and 2014. In 2006, Didier Drogba captained the national team of Ivory Coast from 2006 until his retirement from the Ivory Coast national team in 2014. During his time in Ivory Coast national team, he was the nation’s all-time top goal scorer with over 65 goals from 104 appearances.
Didier Drogba in the cause of his career as an international footballer has won several awards which include African Footballer of the Year, Ivory Coast Player of the Year, FIFA Ballon d‘Or, FIFA World Player of the Year, BBC African Footballer of the Year, amongst others. Didier Drogba is very wealthy and currently number 3 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $155 million.
2. Yaya Toure
Yaya Toure is an Ivorian professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Spanish club Barcelona, Superleague Greece club Olympiacos and the Ivory Coast national team. He played for and captained the Ivory Coast national team. He was born on 13th May 1983 in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire. He is currently 35 years old.
Yaya Touré aspired to be a striker during his youth and has played centre back, including for Barcelona in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final. Yaya Touré has been regarded as one of the world’s best players in his position and also one of the greatest African players of all time. Yaya Touré was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Yaya Touré was part of the historic 2009 Barcelona team that won six trophies in a calendar year. In 2010, Yaya Touré moved to Premier League club Manchester City, where he scored a number of key goals and also helped Man City earn their first league title in 44 years. Yaya Touré is very wealthy and currently number 2 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $170 million.
1. Samuel Eto’O
Samuel Eto’o is a famous Cameroonian football player, who currently plays as a forward striker for Turkish club Konyaspor. He has retired from playing for his country Cameroon national team. He was a former forward striker for English premier league club Chelsea and Everton and was also a former forward striker for Spanish club Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. He has been described as a legend in the game of football and the greatest and most skillful football player of all time and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa.
He was born on 10th March 1981 in Douala, Cameroon. He is currently 38 years old. He is currently Cameroon’s all-time leading goal scorer and the third most capped player in Africa with over 56 goals from 118 appearances.
Samuel Eto’o has been described as the most decorated African player of all time, having won the African Player of the Year awards at a record of four times which include 2003 African Player of the Year, 2004 African Player of the Year, 2005 African Player of the Year and 2010 African Player of the Year. In 2005, he was placed at third position in FIFA World Best Player of the Year awards after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Samuel Eto’o has scored over 100 goals in five seasons with Barcelona and has the highest record of number of goals and appearances by an African player in La Liga. In 2010, Samuel Eto’o became the first player to win two European continental trebles following his back-to-back achievements with Barcelona and Inter Milan. Samuel Eto’o is very wealthy and currently number 1 on our list of top 20 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $202 million.
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