African Cup of Nations Top 10 Goal Scorers
List of the ten best scorers in AFCON, officially CAN (Coupe d'Afrique des Nations)
1.) Samuel Eto'o
Goals: 18
Country: Cameroon
Club(s): Leganés, Real Madrid, Espanyol, Mallorca, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Anzhi, Chelsea, Everton, Sampdoria
Years Active: 1997-present
Eto'o is the African Cup of Nations All-Time Top Scorer and African Cup of Nations top scorer in 2006 and 2008. He was part of his country's team that won the 2000 Olympic tournament. He was awarded the African Player of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010. He was third in the 2005 FIFA World player of the Year and holds the record in number of appearances by an African player in La Liga. Eto'o has won two European continental trebles and he is the second player in history to score in two UEFA Champions League finals.
2.) Laurent Pokou
Goals: 14
Country: Côte d'Ivoire
Club(s): ASEC Abidjan, Stade Rennais, AS Nancy, RS Anyama
Years Active: 1966-1983
Laurent Pokou scored 6 goals in the 1968 African Cup of Nations tournament and 8 in the 1970 tournament. The former member of the Ivorian national team was twice the highest scorer in both tournaments.
3.) Rashidi Yekini
Goals: 13
Country: Nigeria
Club(s): UNTL Kaduna, Shooting Stars, Abiola Babes, Africa Sports, Vitória Setúbal, Olympiacos, Sporting Gijon, Zürich, Bizerte, Al-shabab FC, Africa Sports, Julius Berger, Gateway
Years Active: 1981-2003, 2005
The Nigerian striker scored his country's first-ever goal in a World Cup. He was African Footballer of the Year in 1993. He helped his team win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations where he was named the best player of the competition.
4.) Hassan El-Shazly
Goals: 12
Country: Egypt
Club(s): Tersana
Years Active: 1961-1974
The retired Egyptian footballer led his team to its Egyptian League title in 1963. El-Shazly was the Highest-ever Premier League goalscorer. He was the league's top scorer in 1962-63, 1964–65, 1965–66 and 1974–75. He was the Africa Cup of Nations top scorer in 1963 and the African Cup of Nations top Egyptian scorer.
5.) Didier Drogba
Goals: 11
Country: Ivory Coast
Club(s): Le Mans, Guingamp, Marseille, Chelsea, Shanghai Shenhua, Galatasary
Years Active: 1989-present
The Chelsea striker won the African Footballer of the year in 2006 and 2009. In 2007, he was Man of the Match in the Football League Cup Final and Chelsea Players' Player of the Year. Drogba was a finalist of the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast in 2006 and 2012. He was the Ivory Coast Player of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2012. He is the all-time scorer for his country's national team.
6.) Patrick Mboma
Goals: 11
Country: Cameroon
Club(s): Paris Saint-Germain, Châteauroux, Metz, Gamba Osaka, Cagliari, Parma, Sunderland, Al-Ittihad, Tokyo Verdy 1969, Vissel Kobe
Years Active: 1990-2005
The former Cameroonian led Cameroon to gold medal at the 2000 Olympics and wins at 2000 and 2002 African Nations Cup. In 2000, he was named African footballer of the Year and BBC African Footballer of the Year. He was African Nations Cup top scorer in 2002, J. League Top Scorer and J. League Best Eleven in 1997.
7.) Hossam Hassan
Goals: 11
Country: Egypt
Club(s):Al-Ahly, PAOK, Neuchâtel Xamax, Al Ain, Zamalek, Al-Masry, Tersana, Al-Ittihad Alexandria
Years Active: 1983-2007
Hassan was the African Cup of Nations top scorer in 1998. He was also named the best African Footballer in the last 50 years by the CAF. He is the current head coach of Al-Ittihad Alexandria.
8.) Mengistu Worku
Goals: 10
Country: Ethiopia
Club(s): Saint-George SA
Years Active: 1957-1972
Mengistu Worku was recognized as the best Ethiopian footballer in history. In the finals of the 1962 African Nations Cup, he scored the fourth goal during extra time and his team claimed victory over Egypt. He was the head coach that took his country's national team to the 1982 African Nations Cup in Libya. He coached his country’s team to their first-ever CECAFA cup title in 1987.
9.) Kalusha Bwalya
Goals: 10
Country: Zambia
Club(s): Mufulira Blackpool, Mufulira, Cercle Brugge, América, PSV Eindhoven, Necaxa, Al Wahda, León, Irapuato, Veracruz, Correcaminos
Years Active: 1979-2004
The former Zambian player and coach, nicknamed The King Kalu, is considered the best Zambian player of all time and was named the African Footballer of the Year in 1988. He was Cercle Brugge's club top scorer and was twice voted supporters' player of the year. He was the 12th best player in the world for the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year. He jointly won the Golden Boot Award as the top scorer at the Africa Cup in South Africa in 1996.
10.) Ndaye Mulamba
Goals: 10
Country: Belgian Congo
Club(s): Renaissance of the Kasai, AS Bantu, AS Vita Club
Years Active: 1963-1981
In the decisive match in 1974 World Cup qualification, Mulamba scored the opening goal. In the same year, he played for Zaire in the African Cup of Nations in Egypt and the World Cup in West Germany. In Egypt, he scored all the 9 goals, which is still a record and propelled his team to victory. He was the best player of the match and was awarded the National Order of the Leopard by his president. He captained his team to the World Cup in West Germany. Mulamba was honored at the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia in 1994. He met with Danny Jordaan, head of the organizing committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He coached local amateur teams in South Africa.