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Weah

Desailly

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Kanu

yaya

Tony Yeaboah

Saw this interesting compilation on Bleacher Report


The 10 Best African-Born Players in English Premier League History


This article presents the ten greatest African-born players to have played in the English Premier League. With so many of the continent’s stars having graced the nation’s top flight, I was spoilt for choice and could easily have filled this list twice over.

I have looked to present the players who have made the biggest impact at the top level of the game, those who achieved the highest level of performance and who left an indelible mark on the world of football.

I have focused on those who achieved the most in the game, who demonstrated the highest levels of technical prowess and who managed to excel over a relatively long duration.

I have not focused purely on those players who made an impact within the Premier League, rather, I present the finest players born in Africa, who at one time or another featured in England’s top flight.

Two caveats I should make clear initially: I have considered players born on the African continent—not those who were born in Europe, of African parents, playing for African national teams—such as Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Kevin-Prince Boateng. This means however, that some players born in Africa but who played for European national sides, have been considered for inclusion.

Secondly, I have limited my quest to those players who graced the English top flight since the top division was re-branded as the Premier League, in February 1992. Thus, players such as Leeds United’s South African winger Albert Johanneson have not been considered.

Tony Yeboah
Few players are genuinely both a great scorer of goals and a scorer of great goals, but Tony Yeboah was both in his sparkling career.
During his time in England with Leeds United, Yeboah became the only player in Match of the Day history to win consecutive Goal of the Month competitions. In the Premier League, the Ghanaian forward demonstrated a terrifying penchant for powerful long-range drives and stunning volleys.
Beyond the spectacular, he also managed to maintain a regular, and at times uncontrolled scoring habit. This was illustrated best in his back-to-back Bundesliga Golden Boots while at Eintracht Frankfurt—when he twice topped terrific generations of German forwards.
He also enjoyed an impressive scoring record with the Black Stars, managing 29 goals in 59 international appearances.

Yaya Toure
When Yaya Toure arrived at Manchester City in the summer of 2010, the majority of observers expected him to operate as a stereotypical West African holding midfielder. An upgrade on Nigel de Jong and a top-end model in the same mould as Mahamadou Diarra or Papa Bouba Diop.
What they received was something very different: an elite, dynamic playmaker, capable of operating at the head of the midfield, adept at manipulating the opposition defence and poised to drive the Manchester City team forward—first to their FA Cup victory, and then to their triumphant Premier League success of 2012.
While Toure’s performances have tailed off this season, both domestically and with the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, I have little doubt that he will once again find his prime, as a new-look City attempt to win back their title next season.
One of the finest African players of his generation.

Jay-Jay Okocha Unlike almost all of the other players on this list, Jay-Jay Okocha never influenced the elite levels of sporting competition like he might have done. That’s not to say however, that he wasn’t capable of doing so.
With sublime technique, a dazzling imagination and a penchant for the spectacular, Okocha was the ultimate artist, and possessed attacking capabilities like few other players before or since.
Ultimately, Okocha was a relentless entertainer, rather than a relentless winner; content to sparkle in modest confines, he was a blessing for Bolton during the Trotters’ sustained stay in the Premier League.
Few who have seen him play could ever forget the graceful poise and assured elegance with which Okocha controlled the ball, expressed himself and beguiled defences.

Nwankwo Kanu . There is a very good reason why, despite their recent malaise at the business end of competition, Arsenal are still hugely popular in Nigeria.
Nwankwo Kanu.
After a glorious start to his career, and ultimate success with the Super Eagles at the 1996 Olympics and the FIFA U17 tournament in 1993, things appeared to have come to the end of the road when it was revealed that Kanu had a serious heart defect.
An operation and an extensive recovery period undermined any genuine opportunity the forward had to make his name with Internazionale. But Arsene Wenger handed him a lifeline by signing him for £4.15 million in February 1999.
In his first full season at the club, Kanu stole the hearts of Gunners fans with a sublime 15-minute hat-trick after entering the fray as a substitute against Chelsea.
He recently ended his career as a Champions League winner, a UEFA Cup winner, a two-time Premier League winner, two FA Cups and an Olympic gold medal. A deity in Nigeria and a beloved character in football’s universe, few have the global appeal, the joyous unpredictability and the unaffected sporting genius of Kanu.

Michael Essien Michael Essien may feel and seem like a faded old veteran of the game now, but cast your mind back to Chelsea’s display of dominance in the middle of the last decade—and recall the Ghanaian as one of the most powerful midfielders ever to grace the English top flight.
At the time of his departure from Lyon to Chelsea—for a mouth-watering £24.4 million—Essien may have been raw, but already looking very much like the real deal. He could run, he could pass, he could shoot, and boy, could he tackle!
He was an indispensable feature of two title-winning teams, and demonstrated on numerous occasions, his invaluable versatility. It is just a shame that injuries robbed Chelsea, and crucially, Ghana, of such a prodigally-talented individual.
It remains to be seen whether the return of ‘Daddy’ Jose Mourinho to Chelsea will spark an Indian summer to "the Bison’s" career. Perhaps the chemistry will once again be such that the midfield monster, managerial genius and beloved club will again enjoy the glories of yesteryear.

Patrick Vieira Famously Senegal-born, Vieira’s West African origins came under the microscope when Roy Keane searchingly demanded why the Arsenal man had opted to represent his adopted nation of France, rather than the land of his birth.
I doubt Vieira regretted the decision as he became one of Les Bleus’ most decorated stars—over 107 caps and 12 years of service. The midfielder didn’t just pick up the honours however, he earned them, performing admirably as a central component of France’s victorious teams at the World Cup, European Championships and Confederations Cup.
In the Premier League, Vieira also emerged as a dominant figure in Arsene Wenger’s superlative team of the late 90s and early 00s. Club captain, he played in North London between 1996 and 2005, marshaling those around him, regaining the ball—offering dynamism in the Gunners’ core and feeding those capable of thriving in danger zones.
Vieira became a club icon, and closed an enormously successful period in the club’s history by securing the FA Cup in 2005—his being the crucial winning penalty in the final. The glories were many, but those tangles with Roy Keane stole the imagination, and will go down in history as one of the finest personal rivalries of the Premier League era.

Marcel Desailly Born in Accra, Desailly was another who graced the glorious French team that achieved so much at the turn of the Millennium.
He was a composed and elegant defender, who matured from being a dynamic, energetic midfielder to emerge as one of the finest centre-backs of his generation; a sublime operator for Marseille, Milan and Chelsea.
A sole FA Cup triumph is the total of Desailly’s major domestic honours in West London, but he formed a classy, imposing partnership with Frank Leboeuf and would certainly not have looked out of place in their subsequent dominant era.
Desailly’s true brilliance however, probably came in European and international competition. Twice he won the Champions League (with Marseille and Milan), before bringing home the double of the World Cup and European Championship with France.

[b]Claude Makelele [/b[b]][b]While the last five years have seen an increase in both multifunction midfielders, as well as those whose expertise lies in retaining, reusing and recycling the ball—rather than regaining it, it is impossible to deny the influence and impact the Claude Makelele had on two great teams.
Revered for the simplicity and efficiency of his play, Makelele was the reference point for Real Madrid—the engine in the Rolls Royce and the platform from which the artists around him were able to play.
While Florentino Perez was immune to his value to the team, Claudio Ranieri was not, and the Kinshasa-born Makelele was a crucial component to the Chelsea side that, under Jose Mourinho, conquered the EPL.
[/b]While he may have missed out on France’s most glorious period, struggling to find his place in a midfield already containing Didier Deschamps, Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit, he returned to the international fold in time for the 2006 World Cup, where he helped to lead France to that infamous final with Italy.
[/b]
George Weah George Weah only enjoyed the briefest of spells in the English top flight, but based on the criteria outlined in my opening slide, he is eligible for inclusion in this list.
In reality, he is a player that it is pretty hard to ignore; twice African Footballer of the Year, one-time FIFA World Player of the Year and also European Player of the Year—Weah was one of the globe’s outstanding players in the mid-90s.
His outstanding talent may not have been reflected in an extended list of honours, but few can deny the purity of his talent or his ability to make a stunning impact. His goal for Milan against Verona in 1996 remains one of the finest goals scored in Serie A history, and is perhaps the ultimate expression of his prodigal ability.
Naturally, international opportunities were limited with a Liberia team that he all but carried, but Weah still managed to introduce himself to the English public via brief stints with Chelsea and Manchester City at the dusk of his career.

Didier Drogba
I think it’s fair to say that many were surprised by Drogba’s rise to the absolute pinnacle of the sport, particularly considering his inglorious origins in a Chelsea shirt. If I’m being honest, I had my doubts that this seemingly powerful forward, who hit the deck at every and any opportunity, would be a successful figurehead for Roman Abramovich’s emerging revolution.
But how the times have proved me wrong!
While the pleading and the petulance still remained, the odd flashes of brilliance, became performances of genuine dominance and displays of concentrated elegance and devastation.
Before long it became apparent that Drogba had the lot: strong enough to out-muscle the largest of the EPL’s centre-backs, intelligent enough to outsmart the wiliest and a natural athleticism to give him the edge over almost every opposition.
After moving to England, the honours began to match his talent. Prone to excellence on the big occasion, Drogba defeated Manchester United in the 2007 FA Cup final, Portsmouth two years later and Liverpool in 2012. He also found the net against Everton in Chelsea’s 2009 triumph.
Whilst the international recognition with the Golden Generation of the Cote d’Ivoire may never come, Drogba etched his name in the pantheon of greats with a glorious display in the Blues’ unlikely Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich.

@ Awodwagyanoniwe. Are u not tired of this back and forth between nigeria and south africa as to who is better.It is interesting u find urself in the same group at the tournament. They would murder u with avalanche of goals

safarigirl: Enyeama was supposed to win this 2013 own, but he was duly omitted to clear the way for the King.

Don't worry, unlike Toure, Mikel still has about 2 AFCONs and 2 World Cups in him, so he just might win it some day, would you have believed he'd make top 3 two years ago?

Like I said, na only CAF APOTY Yaya get, he'll never win a trophy with his country

Make u no get heart attack when Ivory Coast win the Afcon next year with yaya as a member.
Brace yourself for more surprises

signorjohnson: Official statistics released by caf shows that only libya, zambia and other two countries 4rm the anglophone bloc voted for mikel while all the francophone countries voted massively for yaya.Ghana and others when will this chronic hatred against Nigeria gonna stop?

Crap. which kind hatred? On saturdays go to to various pubs showing the EPL and ask fans between mikel and yaya who they enjoy watching and who is a better player

Wale112: Corrupt awards, #Team Yaya. how can mikel be best player in the whole Africa?

In the year under review he performed better than toure

Mr flavour

Clean sweep by naija. Mikel needs to crown it

brownlord: OKAY, THEY ARE HERE ALREADY,

I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT IF THE RESULT IS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU HATE ANYTHING NIGERIA AND REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT WE ARE BETTER THAN YOU

Okay u are better. Now concentrate on the ceremony

I wish i had taken my french lessons seriously.issa haytou dey kill me

@ Lanre front .She is not the favourite of ghana. She was one of the most despised celebraties in a pool conducted

I think Mikel should venture upfront more often and aim for goals.he has the ability to dribble and can score goals. Essien IMO was more adventurous.


@OP i dont believe he has 50 goals

http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DxuMH0_M5M


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODxuMH0_M5M&feature=player_embedded

luvinhubby: Mikel - FIFA U21 Silver medal
2nd MVP FIFA U21
English Premier League medal
English FA cup medal
UEFA Champions league medal
UEFA Europa league
CAF Nations cup winner

Essien - English Premier league
English FA cup
FA Community shield..
Who achieve pass?

Essien also has Under 17 bronze Medal
Under 20 silver medal
2 French League Titles

2005 UNFP Ligue 1 player of the year
2006 BBC African footballer of the year
Chelsea Goal of the season 2006-07 vrs Arsenal
Chelsea Goal of the season 2008-09 vrs Barcelona
2007 Chelsea player of the year
Ligue 1 Team of the year 2003, 2005

but he get eufa champs medal or becos he was on the bench !

omar22: I will drop Gyan sharp sharp, probably move Mikel into that position and have another Holding player one that is more aggressive and a tough tackler than Mikel (may be Tiote or Onazi)

Mikel would not flourish in that position.Remember the forward going and dribbling Obi of 2005 is not the same today.He seemed to have thrived at the defensive midfield role

adegwurulez: which club?

Valenciennes.i hear they are battling against relegation but that doesnt bother me much.any loan deal for 6 months to keep bench warmers active is welcome

Can these players match Europes and South Americas best 11

safarigirl: i beleive Olympiakos is gunning for him

Going by the rumour mill some teams are eyeing him but no concrete deal yet. But am happy Warris has moved to France to get first team action

adegwurulez: I agree with the list but i believe by the end of this year, onazi should have a spot in that list

who would you drop in the middle for Onzi

Good for him. I wish Essien could leave even for a smaller club to get playing time before june

Saw this write up today

What do you guys think of his analysis


[b]Once again it is time to generate debate and stir up some controversy as usual with my own views on which players I think should make up a good starting eleven for the African continent over the year 2013.

May I stress that I could be totally wrong, but what you are about to read is what I observed as a football journalist over the year 2013.

This article is actually inspired by my colleague and friend Jerry Kwame Ayensu, who asked me to discuss this very topic and on Friday January 3 2014, you might see me on GTV Stage Africa discussing my choices.

Controversially, even though Didier Drogba was nominated for the African Player of the Year award, he doesn’t make it onto my selection, and whilst African champions Nigeria dominate the team, Ghana has only one representative and there is a player from Mali as well.

I am using a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation that can easily translate into a 4-4-2 system in making this selection.

Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)

The Lille goalkeeper has gotten better and better as the years have gone by and he was a major reason why the Super Eagles won the African Nations Cup. His agility, cat like reflexes and excellent anticipation saw him earn the number one spot at Lille, where his exploits have seen the Ligue 1 side embark on an excellent run. To be honest, he has been one of Africa’s top goalies over the last three years and for me, he is the best goalkeeper on the continent now.

Right Back: Ahmed Fathi (Egypt)

Even though he is a veteran with both Al Ahly and the Pharoahs, Ahmed Fathy has maintained superb performance levels over the years. Even though he can also play in midfield, his biggest asset is bombing down the right and he is a very good crosser of the ball as well. He also is steely in the tackle and he has been consistent over the last few years. Even though Egypt failed to qualify for the World Cup, his efforts for the Pharaohs were easy to see and indeed, he helped Al Ahly to another CAF Champions League triumph.

Centre back: Nicolas N’koulou (Cameroon)

The Marseille defender is vastly underrated, but after bursting onto the international scene as a callow teenager at the 2010 World Cup, N’Koulou hasn’t looked back. He has grown into a mature reader of the game and at 23, he is already a leader at the back for the Indomitable Lions. His input gave Cameroon one of the best defences in the African World Cup qualifying series and he is a major reason why Cameroon will take part in the 2014 World Cup. He is strong in the tackle and excellent in playing the ball out of defence as well.

Centre back: Geoffrey Oboabona (Nigeria)

From the relative obscurity of the Nigerian Premier League, the defender played his heart out for Sunshine Stars and Oboabona’s breakthrough eventually came after Stephen Keshi was appointed head coach of Nigeria. Keshi noticed him and took him to the 2013 African Nations Cup. After team captain Joseph Yobo performed below par in the first game against Burkina Faso, Keshi replaced him with Oboabona and the move paid dividends. Oboabona formed an excellent defensive partnership with Kenneth Omeruo and that helped in landing the Super Eagles the title. Oboabona has not looked back since then and after koving to Turkey in the summer, his efforts also helped Nigeria qualify for the 2014 World Cup. He is aggressive and strong in the challenge and for me, he has been one of the best defenders from Africa this season.

Left back: Adama Tamboura (Mali)

Tamboura was undoubtedly one of Mali’s standout stars at the 2013 African Nations Cup tournament where the Eagles placed third after beating Ghana 3-1 in the third place match. The Randers FC defender has been one of the most consistent African left backs over the last few years and even though his efforts failed to help Mali qualify for the World Cup, you would be hard pressed to get a better left back than Tamboura at least over the course of 2013.

Holding midfielder: John Obi Mikel (Nigeria)

He was one of the major reasons why Nigeria won the 2013 African Nations Cup with his performances in the middle of the park. Even though he has evolved from a dribbling attacking midfielder into a holding midfielder, he has become one of the best in his position in the world, never mind Africa. He also helped Chelsea win the Europa League and he proved Keshi’s most important player as the Super Eagles qualified for the 2014 World Cup. Little wonder that he has been shortlisted for the 2013 African player of the year award by the Confederation of African Football (CAF)

Central midfielder: Yaya Toure (Cote D’ivoire)

Without a doubt, the box-to-box midfielder is one of the best players in the world at the moment, especially in his position and he is virtually undroppable for both Manchester City and Cote d’Ivoire. I believe that he would win the African Player of the Year award for a third consecutive time and indeed he has already won BBC’s version of the award. He has the ability to ghost into goal scoring positions, as well as the ability to track back and protect the back four. He is also a deadly set piece specialist, and he is on course to be one of the stars of the show in Brazil.

Right Attack: Mohammed Salah (Egypt)

The Basel winger has become one of Africa’s most lethal attacking talents and 2013 was a good year for the Egypt international. His ability to cut in from the right and score goals reminds many of a younger Lionel Messi playing in the same position for Barcelona a few years back. He proved a vital outlet of goals as Egypt stormed into the final World Cup qualifying phase with six straight wins. Even though the Pharaohs ultimately failed to make it to Brazil, there is no doubt that Salah has been the team’s breakout star and should he continue in this manner, he is a candidate for a future African Player of the Year award.

Player in the ‘hole’/second striker: Asamoah Gyan (Ghana)

It was indeed a masterstroke by Ghana’s head coach Kwesi Appiah to play the Al Ain forward in behind a lead striker in the course of the World Cup qualifiers and the Black Stars captain responded with crucial goals that eventually helped Ghana win a ticket to Brazil. Gyan’s game intelligence, his eye for a pass and his ability to make central defenders work mark him out as the best player in the ‘hole’ in Africa in my opinion. I may be Ghanaian, but I thought he should have been nominated ahead of Didier Drogba for the 2013 African player of the Year awards. Nevertheless, he remains Ghana’s most important player and deservedly takes his place in my opinionated starting eleven.

Left Attack: Jonathan Pitriopa (Burkina Faso)

Indeed many soccer pundits are not happy that Brazil will not see the skills of this gifted winger, who set the 2013 African Nations Cup tournament alight with his skills. The Rennes forward was voted the tournament’s best player and went on to inspire the Stallions to reach the final World Cup qualifying phase. Even though he scored 1 the first leg against Algeria, defensive frailties ultimately cost his side dear as Burkina Faso conceded twice in Ouagadougou and was beaten 1-0 in the second leg and eliminated. For me however, no one was better in 2013 in his position than Pitriopa and that is why he is in this team.

Striker: Emmanuel; Emenike

My colleague panelist at GTV and former Black Stars striker Augustine Arhinful was constantly raving about him during the 2013 African Nations Cup and after watching him inspire Nigeria to victory, despite missing the final through injury, I could see why. Emenike reminds me so much of the late Rashidi Yekini, with the same power-laden shots, aggression, ability to bring his other team-mates into play and the knack of giving defenders nightmares. His goal against Cote D’Ivoire was a sight to behold and even though he was out injured for a while, he came back to inspire a magnificent comeback as Nigeria came back from a goal down to beat Ethiopia 2-1 in Addis Ababa, with Emenike getting both goals. Keeping him fit will be one of Keshi’s priorities going into the 2014 World Cup, where, with the right service, he could prove a major hit.

Coach of the year: Stephen Keshi

With all that he has achieved despite a glaring lack of respect for his abilities by his own country’s football governing body, I believe Stephen Keshi has been the best coach on the continent. The former Super Eagles captain has shown a very strong steely resolve in the face of adversity and if the Nigerian Football Federation gives him the necessary support, Nigeria could be one of the dark horses in Brazil.

So there you have it. These are solely my views and anyone at all is entitled to disagree. After all, that is the beauty of football discussions.
[/b]

I am surprised the OP posted the injury of 2012 .even tho he has scored in all the previous outings at the world cup,his postion can be played by Kwadwo Asamoah and others.needless to say we don't want major injuries to our stars before the tournament

dead news

essien should leave to get playing time even if at a lesser club. we need him to be in shape b4 brazil 2014

ibi every day u bigots from both sides go dey insult your countries and engage in usless e -wars.Enough of this infantile dissing.
Merry Xmas to everyone in advance .May u all resolve to chanell your energies to good use in 2014

I guess there would not be E- war free Xmas

yea! just heard on bbc