# 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?

*By YPB Team · Published May 22, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-best-player-in-africa-cup-of-nations-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **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.
2. **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.
3. **Didier Drogba**
   Ivory Coast's inspirational captain led his nation through multiple AFCON campaigns with powerful, decisive performances against the finest African defences.
4. **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.
5. **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.
6. **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.
7. **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.
8. **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.
9. **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.
10. **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.
11. **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.
12. **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.
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.

Tags: africa, sports, football, players, legends, tournaments