Marseille's African connection runs deep, from Abedi Pelé's Champions League masterclass to Larbi Ben Barek's pre-war brilliance, through to modern stars from Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Cameroon — Africa has always been central to OM's identity.
1Abedi PeléGhana midfielder and three-time African Player of the Year who was the creative engine behind Marseille's historic 1992-93 Champions League triumph, one of the greatest African players ever to grace European football.1000pts
2Amine HaritMorocco attacking midfielder who joined Marseille on loan from Schalke in 2021 and became a fan favourite with his creativity and flair, making the move permanent and contributing to Ligue 1 campaigns.509pts
3Brice Dja DjédjéIvory Coast right-back who provided reliable and attacking full-back play for Marseille across four seasons from 2014, known for his energetic overlapping runs in Ligue 1.509pts
4Souleymane DiawaraSenegalese centre-back who won the 2010 French title and three Coupes de la Ligue with Marseille.509pts
5Larbi Ben BarekMorocco forward known as the 'Black Pearl' who dazzled at Marseille in the 1930s and 1940s, drawing comparisons to Pelé and regarded as one of the most gifted African footballers of the pre-war era.461pts
6Basile BoliAbidjan-born centre-back who headed the winning goal in the 1993 Champions League final against AC Milan.407pts
7Didier DrogbaIvorian striker whose single season at Marseille in 2003-04 produced 32 goals and a run to the UEFA Cup final.407pts
8Modeste M'BamiCameroon midfielder who joined Marseille from PSG in 2005 and provided combative midfield energy across four seasons, winning the Coupe de la Ligue in 2010.344pts
9Mamadou NiangSenegal striker who was Marseille's top scorer in back-to-back seasons and finished as Ligue 1's joint top scorer in 2009, becoming one of the most prolific forwards in the club's recent history.271pts
10André AyewGhana winger who spent six seasons at Marseille from 2007, becoming a key figure and club captain before his move to Swansea, carrying on his father Abedi Pelé's Marseille legacy.185pts
11Cédric BakambuCongo DR striker who joined Marseille in 2022 and brought his proven goal-scoring pedigree from Villarreal and Beijing Guoan to the Stade Vélodrome.185pts
12Marcel DesaillyAccra-born defender who partnered Boli in the side that won the 1993 Champions League.185pts
13Pierre-Emerick AubameyangGabonese striker who joined in 2023, scored freely and won the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé as Ligue 1's best African player.185pts
14Habib BeyeSenegal right-back who made over 170 appearances for Marseille in the mid-2000s, winning the Coupe de France in 2006 and becoming a fan favourite before his move to Newcastle United.0pts
15Azzedine OunahiMorocco midfielder who signed for Marseille in January 2023 after his standout World Cup performances, bringing technical excellence and box-to-box energy to the midfield.0pts
Photo credits
- Amine Harit — Nawfel Ajari, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Brice Dja Djédjé — Yannick Bouvard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mamadou Niang — Doha Stadium Plus Qatar, CC BY 2.0
- André Ayew — Pierre-Yves Beaudouin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Azzedine Ounahi — Abdelali Bentarki, CC BY 4.0
