The 25 Africans who won the C1, waiting for Mahrez or Ziyech

There are already 25 Africans to have their names inscribed in the trophy cabinet of the prestigious UEFA Champions League competition, pending the final of the 66th edition, which will pit Manchester City of Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez against Chelsea of Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech and Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

An African will inevitably lift the trophy in the final of the 66th edition, which will pit two English clubs against each other on 29 May 2021 at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. The two clubs are Manchester City, with Algerian Riyad Mahrez, and Chelsea, with Moroccan Hakim Ziyech and Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. This will be the third all-English final after the 2008 and 2019 finals.

Winners of the 2019 edition with Liverpool, Senegal’s Sadio Mané, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, Guinea’s Naby Keita « Deco » and Cameroon’s Joel Matip have increased the number of African footballers who have won the Champions League from 21 to 25. But Cameroonian legend Samuel Eto’o Fils is the African record holder for winning the cup with the big ears. The Indomitable Lion has won it three times, with FC Barcelona (2006, 2009) and Inter Milan (2010).

Samuel Eto’o Fils is ahead of his compatriot Geremi Njitap, winner with Real Madrid (2000 and 2002) and the Malian Seydou Keita. The former captain of the Eagles has won two C1s with FC Barcelona in 2009 and 2011. On the other hand, Zimbabwean goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar is the first African to lift the Champions League trophy, in 1984 with Liverpool.

Cameroon is the country of African footballers who have won the most C1s, with Samuel Eto’o Fils (3), Geremi Njitap (2), Joël Matip (1). But Ghana has the most winners: Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Samuel Kuffour, Ibrahim Tanko, Abedi Pele (Ghana/Marseille).
The 25 Africans who won the C1 final (starter or substitute)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool) 2019
Joel Matip (Cameroon/Liverpool) 2019
Naby Keïta "Deco" (Guinea/Liverpool) 2019
Sadio Mané (Senegal/Liverpool) 2019
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Real Madrid) 2018
John Obi Mikel (Nigeria/Chelsea) 2012
Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast/Chelsea) 2012
Michael Essien (Ghana/Chelsea) 2012
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast/Chelsea) 2012
Seydou Keïta (Mali/FC Barcelona) 2009 and 2011
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon/FC Barcelona/Inter Milan) 2006, 2009, and 2010
Sulley Muntari (Ghana/Inter Milan) 2010
McDonald Mariga (Kenya/Inter Milan) 2010
Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast/FC Barcelona) 2009
Djimi Traoré (Mali/Liverpool) 2005
Salif Diao (Senegal/Liverpool) 2005
Benni McCarthy (South Africa/FC Porto) 2004
Geremi Njitap (Cameroon/Real Madrid), 2000 and 2002
Samuel Kuffour (Ghana/Bayern) 2001
Ibrahim Tanko (Ghana/Dortmund) 1997
Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria/Ajax) 1995
Finidi George (Nigeria/Ajax) 1995
Abedi Pele (Ghana/Marseille) 1993
Rabah Madjer (Algeria/FC Porto) 1987
Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe/Liverpool) 1984