Who is the best player in Africa Cup of Nations history?

The AFCON has been the stage for African football's greatest talents across more than six decades — prolific scorers, inspirational captains, and unforgettable individual performances. Who is the greatest AFCON player ever?

Samuel Eto'o

Africa's greatest AFCON scorer, winning the tournament twice with Cameroon (2000 and 2002) and consistently performing as the continent's most lethal and complete striker.

1/13

Roger Milla

Cameroon's immortal striker danced his way into AFCON folklore, winning the tournament twice and performing with remarkable energy even at an advanced age in international competition.

2/13

Didier Drogba

Ivory Coast's inspirational captain led his nation through multiple AFCON campaigns with powerful, decisive performances against the finest African defences.

3/13

Abedi Pelé

Ghana's most talented player of his era was a mesmerising attacking talent at AFCON, his dribbling and creativity making him a nightmare for opposing defences in the 1980s and 90s.

4/13

Jay-Jay Okocha

Nigeria's most technically gifted player enthralled AFCON audiences with extraordinary skill, balance, and flair across multiple tournaments throughout the late 1990s and 2000s.

5/13

Rashidi Yekini

Nigeria's all-time leading scorer fired the Super Eagles to the 1994 AFCON title with devastating, physical finishing, combining power and clinical instinct to destroy opposing defences.

6/13

Laurent Pokou

Ivory Coast's legendary striker set a long-standing AFCON goals record and was the tournament's most feared attacker across multiple editions in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

7/13

Mohamed Aboutrika

Egypt's elegant attacking midfielder orchestrated the Pharaohs' historic three consecutive AFCON triumphs from 2006 to 2010 with creative intelligence and decisive finishing.

8/13

Sadio Mané

Senegal's talisman delivered the AFCON title his nation craved in 2021-22, scoring the winning penalty in the final and providing leadership and decisive moments throughout.

9/13

Riyad Mahrez

Outstanding player of AFCON 2019, his creative dribbling, goals, and assists fired Algeria to their second continental title and earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

10/13

Vincent Aboubakar

Cameroon's hero at AFCON 2021 scored eight goals including a stunning substitute hat-trick against Comoros, winning the Golden Boot in one of the tournament's great individual scoring feats.

11/13

Yaya Touré

Ivory Coast's towering midfield powerhouse was the physical and technical foundation of their AFCON campaigns throughout the 2010s, eventually helping deliver the 2015 tournament title.

12/13

Patrick Mboma

Cameroon's elegant striker was a two-time African Footballer of the Year who helped the Indomitable Lions win back-to-back AFCON titles in 2000 and 2002 with clinical, technical finishing.

13/13