Posted by When PSG and Bayern Munich face off later today at the Estádio Sport Lisboa e Benfica for the UEFA Champions League final, PSG African stars Idrissa Gueye and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting are presented with the opportunity of making history by writing their names in the list of African players to have won UEFA Champions League.
Since the inaugural edition of the prestigious competition in 1955, 23 different African players from 12 different countries have won the competition. Ghana dominate the list with 4 players (Abedi Pele [1993], Sammy Kuffour [2001], Sulley Muntari [2010], Michael Essien [2012]).
The first African to win it was Zimbabwean Bruce Grobbelaar with Liverpool FC in 1983/84, whiles the highest individual winner is Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroonian striker won it with two different clubs on three occasions, Barcelona in 2006 and 2009 and Inter Milan in 2010.
Below is the list of Africans to have won the UEFA Champions league:
1. Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe) : Liverpool FC, 1983-1984
2. Rabah Madjer (Algeria) : FC Porto, 1986-1987
3. Abedi Pelé (Ghana) : Olympique de Marseille, 1992-1993
4. Finidi George (Nigeria) : Ajax, 1994-1995
5. Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) : Ajax, 1994-1995
6. Geremi Njitap (Cameroon) : Real Madrid, 1999-2000
7. Samuel Kuffour (Ghana) : FC Bayern Munich 2000-2001
8. Benni McCarthy (South Africa) : FC Porto, 2003-2004
9. Djimi Traoré (Mali) : Liverpool FC, 2004-2005
10. Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) – FC Barcelona, 2005-2006, 2008-2009, Inter Milan, 2009-2010
11. Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire) : FC Barcelona, 2008-2009
12. Seydou Keita (Mali) : FC Barcelona, 2008-2009, 2010-2011
13. Sulley Muntari (Ghana) : Inter Milan, 2009-2010
14. McDonald Mariga (Kenya) : Inter Milan 2009-2010
15. John Obi Mikel (Nigeria) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012
16. Michael Essien (Ghana) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012
17. Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012
18. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012
19. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) : Real Madrid FC, 2017-2018
20. Sadio Mané (Senegal) : Liverpool, 2018-2019
21. Mohamed Salah (Egypt) : Liverpool, 2018-2019
22. Joël Matip (Cameroon) : Liverpool, 2018-2019
23. Naby Keita (Guinea) : Liverpool, 2018-2019