# Who is the best African player in Lyon history?

> Lyon have built their Ligue 1 dominance partly on the shoulders of outstanding African talent, from Michael Essien and Mahamadou Diarra in their seven-title era to Maxwel Cornet's versatile contributions and Bertrand Traoré's flair, drawing players from Ghana, Mali, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.

*By YPB Team · Published April 22, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-best-african-player-in-lyon-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Michael Essien**
   Ghana midfielder who was a driving force in Lyon's dominant run of seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles from 2002 to 2005, winning two championships before his £24.4m move to Chelsea.
2. **Frédéric Kanouté**
   Mali striker who spent four seasons at Lyon from 1997 to 2000, scoring goals during the club's rise to domestic dominance before his move to West Ham and later Sevilla.
3. **Mahamadou Diarra**
   Mali defensive midfielder who was a combative presence in Lyon's midfield during their dominant seven-title era, winning multiple Ligue 1 championships before his move to Real Madrid.
4. **Maxwel Cornet**
   Ivory Coast winger who made 237 appearances for Lyon from 2015 to 2021, scoring 51 goals and becoming one of the most versatile and reliable players during a transition period at the club.
5. **Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa**
   Cameroon defender who joined Lyon in 2015 and became a dependable centre-back across four seasons, providing leadership and experience at the heart of the defence.
6. **Bertrand Traoré**
   Burkina Faso winger who starred for Lyon from 2017 to 2020, scoring 23 goals in 80 appearances and dazzling with his pace and technical quality before moving to Aston Villa.
7. **Cheick Doucouré**
   Mali midfielder who came through the Lyon academy and made his first-team debut before earning a move to RC Lens and later Crystal Palace, becoming one of the best defensive midfielders in Ligue 1.
8. **Sinaly Diomandé**
   Ivory Coast defender who came through the Lyon academy and established himself in the first team from 2020, providing assured and physical defending as a key domestic squad member.
9. **Islam Slimani**
   Algeria striker who joined Lyon in 2020 and scored crucial goals in his debut season, an AFCON winner and proven scorer at the highest level in both Ligue 1 and European competition.
10. **Saliou Diarra**
   Senegal defender who played for Lyon in the early 2000s during the club's historic seven-title domination, contributing to multiple Ligue 1 championship triumphs.

Tags: africa, sports, football, players, champions league