Ace Football presents a detailed list of the best African footballers in the history of the Italian top flight. The 10 best African players in Serie A history
African footballers have taken Italian soccer by storm in recent years. Players such as Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi have made a name for themselves in Serie A before pursuing their careers in other leagues.
Meanwhile, established stars such as Kalidou Koulibaly and Franck Kessie are still active in Italian soccer’s top clubs. However, the presence of African stars in Serie A is not a recent trend. The Italian top flight has a long history of welcoming top African talent.
Let’s take a look at the biggest African stars in Serie A history.
The top 10 African players in Serie A history
- Mohamed Salah
As a Chelsea player, Salah spent loan spells at Fiorentina and Roma between 2015 and 2016. However, his gradual development convinced the Giallorossi to sign him permanently in July 2016.
In his 83 games for Roma, the Egyptian star scored 34 goals and provided 22 assists. Salah did not win any trophies at Roma. However, his two-year spell at the Olimpico prepared him to become a top-class striker after his transfer to Liverpool in 2017.
- Medhi Benatia
Benatia began his Serie A career with Udinese before joining Roma in 2013. His first spell at the Olympico Stadium was so impressive that it convinced Bayern Munich to sign him.
The Moroccan center-back won two Bundesliga titles before returning to Serie A to play for Juventus. The versatile defender played in 59 games for the Bianocneri, winning three consecutive Scudettos and two Coppa Italia trophies.
However, Benatia’s stay in Serie A came to a sudden end when he surprised fans by joining Al Duhail in 2019. The former Moroccan international hung up his boots in December 2021.
- Nwankwo Kanu
Most soccer fans recognize Kanu from his five-year stint at Arsenal. However, the Nigerian star had a successful spell at Inter before his move to London.
The Olympic gold medallist joined Inter in January 1999 from Ajax. The player won one of his two African Footballer of the Year awards during his time at the San Siro. He was also part of the Inter team that won the UEFA Cup in 1998. However, he suffered a heart condition that kept him out of the action for most of his time at Inter.
- Kalidou Koulibaly
Kalidou Koulibaly is the only player on the list who is still active in Serie A. After transferring from Genk in 2014, the Senegalese defender has become one of the best central defenders in European soccer.
Koulibaly appeared in 302 games for Napoli, scoring 13 goals in the process. His presence at the heart of the Partenopei’s defense attracted the interest of several major clubs. However, he has remained loyal to the Italian team. To date, the Senegalese star has won a Coppa Italia and an Italian Supercup with Napoli.
- Obafemi Martins
Martins forged a reputation as an African prodigy as he rose through the ranks of Regina’s academy. He then moved to Inter, where he made his Serie A debut in 2002.
The following year, he scored in the Champions League semi-final against Milan. However, this was not enough for the Nerazzurri to qualify. The striker made 136 appearances for Inter, scoring 49 goals and providing 13 assists. During his Inter career, the Nigerian won a Serie A title and two Coppa Italia trophies. However, the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hernan Crespo limited his playing time at the club during the 2005-2006 season. He then decided to continue his career at Newcastle.
- Sulley Muntari
Muntari is the kind of central midfielder whose services can easily be underestimated. The Ghanaian star began his Serie A career with Udinese before joining Inter in 2008. He won a Champions League trophy, two Serie A titles and two Copa Italia with the Nerazzurri. The African star then moved to Milan, where he spent three years.
Muntari’s versatility also enabled him to take part in three World Cups with Ghana. In 67 appearances for the Black Stars, Muntari scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists.
- Kwadwo Asamoah
Asamoah holds the record as the African player with the most titles and appearances in Serie A. During his spells with Udinese, Juventus, Inter, Torino and Cagliari, Asamoah took part in 279 Italian top-flight matches.
The Ghanaian midfielder joined Juventus in 2012 from Udinese, where he appeared in 156 games for the Bianconeri. He won six consecutive Serie A titles and four Copa Italia trophies during his time at Juventus. Inter signed Asamoha in 2018, but he left the club two years later to join Cagliari.
- Taribo West
West is one of the biggest names in Serie A, having played for both Inter and city rivals Milan. The Nigerian star was an essential part of Inter’s rearguard when they won the UEFA Cup in 1998.
Before that, West had already won an Olympic gold medal with Nigeria’s golden generation in 1996. He also played in two World Cups with the Super Eagles. West made 44 appearances for Inter before joining Milan in 2001.
- Samuel Eto’o
Eto’o is a regular on our lists of the greatest African players of all time. The Cameroonian legend is the most decorated player in the continent’s history and arguably the best striker of all time.
After a glorious campaign with Barcelona, Eto’o joined Inter in 2009. There, the two-time AFCON winner managed a historic treble under José Mourinho. The treble came a year after his Champions League triumph with Barcelona, with Eto’o scoring in both finals.
Eto’o’s time at Inter was short, but it was enough to earn him his fourth (and final) African Footballer of the Year award. The FC Barcelona legend is now President of the Cameroon Football Federation.
- George Weah
The current President of Liberia is the only African star to have won the Ballon d’Or. Weah is Serie A’s all-time leading African goalscorer, with a host of spectacular strikes over the course of his career. His stunning goal against Verona is one of the most famous in the competition’s history.
Weah won the Scudetto in his first campaign with Milan, which also earned him the Ballon d’Or in 1995. The four-time African Footballer of the Year also helped Milan win another Serie A title in 1998. Before leaving the San Siro to join Chelsea, Weah scored 46 goals in his four-and-a-half seasons with Milan.
| Pos | Player |
|---|---|
| 1. | George Weah |
| 2. | Samuel Eto’o |
| 3. | Taribo West |
| 4. | Kwadwo Asamoah |
| 5. | Sulley Muntari |
| 6. | Obafemi Martins |
| 7. | Kalidou Koulibaly |
| 8. | Nwankwo Kanu |
| 9. | Medhi Benatia |
| 10. | Mohamed Salah |
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