da bet7k： AFCON has once again put Africa’s greatest footballing talents on display for a global audience.

da betsson： Established names like Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen compete with rising stars such as Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande to lift Africa’s football crown, while huge names like Antoine Semenyo missed out on the tournament altogether.

Africa's Greatest Footballers of the 21st Century Ranked

Where does Mohamed Salah rank amongst the GOATs?

ByBen Goodwin

African players have become superstars at major clubs throughout world football in recent years, but who is the best of the best right now?

Ranking factors

To help rank the players in order, we have considered the following criteria:

Current form – how well a player has performed in the past few months and years Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their teams’ performances Role – how unique their skillset is Reputation – major honours and what others say about them 20 Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso – Centre-Back)

Tapsoba has been one of the Bundesliga’s most consistent defenders, combining composure, aerial strength and ball progression.

His performances in domestic and European competitions give him sustained top-level credibility, having won a domestic treble in the 2023-24 season.

19 Ismaël Bennacer (Algeria – Midfielder)

Despite injury setbacks, Bennacer’s peak performances during Milan’s title-winning period showed elite control, tempo-setting and defensive intelligence.

For Algeria, he has been a model of consistency over a number of years.

18 Mohammed Kudus (Ghana – Attacking Midfielder)

Kudus’ ball-carrying, versatility and end product have made him Ghana’s most impactful player of the last few years.

Though his move to Tottenham hasn’t quite worked out so far, watch out for a breakthrough if the side as a whole returns to form.

17 Nicolas Jackson (Senegal – Striker)

Over the last few years, Jackson has developed from a raw prospect into a high-level striker for huge clubs.

His pace, pressing and improving finishing will be crucial for Senegal at international level.

16 Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco – Striker)

A reliable scorer in La Liga and Europe, En-Nesyri has delivered consistently in big moments for both Sevilla and Morocco.

His aerial dominance and movement have been evident across multiple seasons.

15 André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon – Midfielder)

Anguissa’s physical presence and ball-carrying were central to Napoli’s Scudetto win and continued sucess.

If the midfielder can add an AFCON triumph to his growing trophy cabinet he will go down as one of the country’s finest midfielders.

14 Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal – Winger)

Ndiaye has quickly become one of the most exciting players not just in the Premier League but in European club football.

His pace, trickery and impressive displays for Senegal make him one of the most talented African players on the planet.

13 Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast – Winger)

Amad has been the player of the tournament for Ivory Coast so far and has also blossomed into one of Manchester United’s most important players.

Subscribe to our newsletter for deeper African football analysis Dive further into African football: subscribing to the newsletter gives you in-depth rankings, player breakdowns, tactical context and scouting-style insights that sharpen your view of the continent’s top talents and their roles.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

With so many years ahead of him, the winger is likely to surge up these rankings in the coming seasons.

12 Brahim Díaz (Morocco – Attacking Midfielder)

Díaz’s steady development over the last five years has turned him into a decisive creative force.

His technical quality, goals from midfield and growing influence for Morocco justify his inclusion.

11 Riyad Mahrez (Algeria – Winger)

Mahrez has won Premier League titles, a Champions League triumph and AFCON in recent years.

The Algeria star has sustained his high level even after leaving Manchester City.