The Best African Footballer of the Past 50 Years

By: Bob | October 24th, 2006

Not to be outdone by the not-so-shortlists compiled for the FIFA Player of the Year Award and the European Player of the Year, the Confederation of African Football is operating a poll to determine the best African football player from the past 50 years. The longest shortlist of the bunch includes a whopping 200 names and unless you are an African football historian chances are you probably won’t be too familiar with a number of the players, especially the ones who played decades ago.

Even with the overwhelming number of choices there are a few names that stand out to me like Abedi Pele, Roger Milla, Jay-Jay Okocha, and my favorite current player from Africa, Samuel Eto’o.

My vote, however, has to go to George Weah. In his prime, the Liberian was simply a joy to watch. He had a combination of power and grace that not only made him the best African footballer of his day, but one of the best footballers, period.

Which player would receive your vote as the best African footballer from the past 50 years?

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Category: Africa, World Football

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sunday

all these players mentioned are goog players,but the best for now is DIDIER DROGBA
demilade

In my own view,i think Didier Drogba is the best compared to the likes of Kanoute,Eto'o and Adebayor coz he is aforce to reckon with in every game and for every team.
wilson Abang

i think Abedi pele deserves to be mentioned amongst the african greats. but i still feel george weah is the best
kwame aduako

George Weah for his record of African best, European best and World Best
fredrick anguh

i think more of eto'o because he has recent and modern skills than George w .,but then George had once been the best....not now...i cast for eto'o.Posted from Cameroon
koffa t gboilee

I think the best out of africa is no other then the master dribbling wizzard,the most prolific scorer the game had ever seen george weah.
Teju

Pele.

Followed by Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Henry.
Eddie

Peter Ndlovu is the first african player to play in the premiership straight from africa. He did not come through any other country.but George Weah was tops
Maurice

Peter Ndlovu of zimbabwe had flair and was a dribbling wizzard. Coventry city fans of the UK will testify to this.

From Maurice of Nottingham, UK
jeanpaul

I will certainly agree with George Weah.....
Guys I also urge you not to forget Milla Roger--a prolific scorer for St. Etienne and St germain back then..
S. Benedict Dossen

It's George Weah like it has been during his time.
SyphaX

I have to mention Timoumi from the 80s. he played for morocco and he mastered the midfield in WC86 for them. Morocco finished first in the group topping England, Poland and Portugal which morocco beat 3-1. also a shout out to Zaki morocco's keeper in that WC who was like a wall
Drew

Is Kanu really not worth even a mention? Probably not the best, but still my all time favorite out of Africa. But he's gotta be at least worth mentioning once.
Miha

My vote definitely goes to George Weah.
Bense

I'd say Milla. Priceless 1990 World Cup.
Kiko

My choice would be Raba Madjer. Weah comes a close second though.
Trent

Eto’o is brilliant; and seems a good guy too. I mean, to'o. Since he's still youngish, I'd go with Milla.
combat chuck

I would nominate Eusebio. Sure, the guy played for Portugal, but he was born in Mozambique, so he was from Africa. Top goalscorer at England '66, more than a dozen Portuguese League titles, European Cup winner, 300+ goals, etc. etc...
toddzilla

I think it's pretty clearly Thompson Nagbe, right? :-)
Isaiah

Special mentions though:

Hossam Hassan (Egypt)
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)
Kalala Mukendi (Zaire) (known to me only because I once had a childhood stint in what was then Zaire and is now the Democratic Republic of Congo)
Segun Odegbami (Nigeria)
Isaiah

I'm not sure there's much doubt about George Weah. So far it's unanimous and I'm not one to to be a naysayer. Unbelievable player, though probably not so good a politician.

He's definitely in my top 50 players of all time just for the sheer joy of watching him play and the fact that he proved a boatload of racist jerkoffs wrong in the process.
insearchoffootball

how can et'o be in that list when he still plays ..
BlueBlood58

Got to go with George Weah. He didn't play that many games for Chelsea, but he became a cult figure, especially scoring the winner against Tottenham on his debut.
Alex

George Weah is the best in my lifetime. Drogba is playing like the best at this moment.