Source: Daily_Mail
The List: The 50 best African players in history Nos 10-1
HAVE YOUR SAY... Who is the greatest African footballer of all time? Ghanaian Abedi Pele arguably became the continent's first superstar in the late eighties, but there have been a host of candidates since, among them George Weah, Samuel Eto'o and Didier Drogba. And who can forget the cheeky grin and goalscoring prowess of Roger Milla? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Pele predicted an African nation would win thsporte World Cup by the year2000. That didn't happen, but stars from the continent have neverthelessthrilled for decades.[LNB]And with the Africa Cup of Nations underway in Angola, the latestepisode of The List trumpets the greatest players from the continent inhistory.[LNB]FromGhana's Abedi Pele to 'King' George Weah, Africans have wowed the worldwith their pace, dazzling ball control and athleticism.[LNB]Week after week we toil over our selections, and like nothing more than hearing your thoughts.[LNB]Asa caveat for the eagle-eyed out there, Mozambique-born Portugueselegend Eusebio does not feature as our List only concerns those born inAfrica who played for an African nation.[LNB]10) Lucas Radebe (South Africa) Radebe remains a hero over at Elland Road after his time in Yorkshireleft an indelible mark on the club he captained just before thefinancial implosion which sent them spinning down the leagues.[LNB]The former Kaiser Chiefs centre-back could have formed a family team ifhe'd wanted to - he is one of 11 siblings. He made his internationaldebut on July 7, 1992 against Cameroon before moving to the PremierLeague in 1994.[LNB]He was a member of the South Africa team that won the Africa Cup ofNations in 1996 and captained Bafana Bafana in the 1998 and 2002 WorldCups.[LNB] Captain fantastic: Lucas Radebe in action for South Africa against Denmark at the 1998 World Cup finals[LNB]9) Kanu (Nigeria)Kanu's time in European football has lasted 17 years, a successful timewhich has seen him become the most decorated African footballer inhistory.[LNB]A Champions League and UEFA Cup winner, he has two Premier Leaguetitles and three FA Cup winners' medals. He really has done the lot.[LNB]Testament to his time at Arsenal, he was voted 13th in the Gunners'Greatest 50 Players pols, ahead of such luminaries as David O'Leary,Sol Campbell and Pat Rice.[LNB] Decorated: Kanu in action for Nigeria against Angola in a World Cup qualifier in 2005[LNB]8) Tony Yeboah (Ghana) Yeboah scored 25 goals in 48 league appearances for Leeds United, but that only tells part of the story - he set the Premier League alight withsome of the most ferocious goals we have ever seen, with a huge grinfixed to his face.[LNB]Yeboah loved to score for his national side, too - he bagged 29 goalsin 59 appearances, the second highest goalscoring total in the nation'shistory behind Abedi Pele.[LNB]Two years in England may not have resulted in any trophies but hisgift to the league was some great goals. He even managed to winback-to-back Goal of the Month awards in 1995. [LNB] Yeboah: in action for Ghana against Zaire in the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations[LNB]7) Hossam Hassan (Egypt)Evergreen goalscorer, hero, legend, recored breaker - just some of thewords you need to describe Hassan who amassed 169 caps for Egypt, andscored 69 goals, both of which remain national records.[LNB]He will be remembered by many after appearing for his country at the1990 World Cup, where they were unlucky to be eliminated after twodraws and the narrow 1-0 defeat to England after Mark Wright's headedgoal sent them out.[LNB] Egypt legend: Hassan playing against Tunisia at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000[LNB]6) Michael Essien (Ghana) Don't pigeon-hole Essien, admittedly best known for being a box-to-boxmidfielder - he can score goals, too - see his memorable strikesagainst Barcelona in the Champions League last season and anotherstunner against Blackburn.[LNB]The Bison was, for a time, the most expensive African player of alltime until Emmanuel Adebayor's move to Manchester City last year andthe two-times French Ligue 1 winner with Lyon became a Premier Leaguechampion with Chelsea in 2005.[LNB] Midfield star: Michael Essien in action for Ghana against Japan last year[LNB]5) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) [LNB]The former Real Madrid and Barcelona star has been a cut above the restfor many years. His tenacity and skill have made him one of thisgeneration's finest strikers.[LNB]Eto'o scored more than 100 goals in five seasons with Barcelona, and hisearly goal in last season's Champions League final win over Manchester United made him only the second player to have ever scored in two separateChampions League finals.[LNB]He was a member of the Cameroon national team that memorably won gold at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, and also featured in two World Cups and five Africa Cupof Nations tournaments.[LNB] One of the very best: Samuel Eto'o scores for Cameroon against Sudan at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations[LNB] 4) Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria) 'So good, they named him twice' is the famous quote about thetalismanic Nigerian who arrived at the Reebok seemingly in his twilight. But he was a revelation in four years with Bolton.[LNB]The Africa Cup of Nations (1994) and Olympics gold medallist (1996)with Nigeria helped the Potters avoid relegation, took them to theirfinal in nine years - the League Cup Final in 2004 which they lost toMiddlesbrough - and into Europe for the first time in their history. [LNB] So good they named him twice: Okocha in action for Nigeria against Ivory Coast in the 2006 africa Cup of Nations[LNB]3) Roger Milla (Cameroon) It was all about the dance, the smile and the goals as the then37-year-old lit up the World Cup in 1990 as the Indomitable Lionsalmost went all the way to the final during a memorable tournament run- courtesy of Milla's goals.[LNB]Even his name is entertaining - Albert Roger Mooh Milla was voted oneof the 125 greatest living football players in 2004 by the Pele butmany young football fans around the world showed their own appreciationof Milla when, after scoring a goal, they'd run up to the corner flag anddo that dance. [LNB]He had retired from international footballthree years before Italia 90, but we're glad he had a change of heartand brought a smile to all those who watched him score four goals atthe World Cup 20 years ago.[LNB] Unforgettable: Roger Milla runs past Colombia goalkeeper Jose Higuita on the way to scoring at the 1990 World Cup finals[LNB][LNB]2) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) [LNB][LNB]As strong as any forward to have played the game, Drogba is a mountain of a man to match his his personality and appetite for goals.[LNB]However, the former Le Mans, Guingamp and Marseille striker isn't all about power and hustle, he has the technique and finishing ability to match any other goalscorer the game has ever seen.[LNB]Two Premier League titles and a brace of FA Cups have come in his six years at Stamford Bridge and the way he's knocking them in this season, who's to say he wont have added to that tally come May?[LNB] Simply brilliant: Drogba scores for Ivory Coast against Guinea at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2008[LNB]1) George Weah (Liberia) A remarkable man who has enjoyed just as exciting a career on the pitchas he has experienced off it. Weah is a character who rates as our topAfrican player of all time, not just by virtue of the strength of hispersonality, but because he had real talent on it. [LNB]By his own admission, he was a criminal and gang member in his youthbut football got him out of his country - in 1995 he was voted worldfootballer of the year while with Paris Saint-Germain, he also ended upliving in New York and commuting to training sessions in Monaco byConcorde. Such was the life of Weah.[LNB]World, European and African Player of the Year in his time, Weah scoredgoals at every club he went to and won league titles in France andItaly with PSG and AC Milan respectively.[LNB]And when his career ended, such was his popularity in his nativeLiberia that he ran (unsuccessfully) for President. Quite a character,certainly a fine player and easily our No 1.[LNB] Our number one: Liberian star George Weah playing against Nigeria in 2001[LNB] [LNB]The best of the rest of The ListSportsmail's top 50 Premier League players of the decadeSportsmail's top 50 last-gasp goals in British footballSportsmail's top 50 footballers never to play at the World CupSportsmail's top 50 sporting feuds of all timeSportsmail's 50 great sports photographsSportsmail's top 50 commentators of all timeSportsmail's top 50 sporting venuesSportsmail's top 50 performers of the season so farSportsmail's top 50 all-time managers in BritainSportsmail's top 50 goal poachersSportsmail's top 50 footballing traitorsSportsmail's top 50 FA Cup heroesSportsmail's greatest Wembley finals in historySportsmail's top 50 biggest hitters in cricketSportsmail's top 50 British & Irish LionsSportsmail's top 50 Ashes heroes [LNB]
