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AFCON: Complete List of Golden Boot Winners in the Tournament’s History, From Drogba to Eto’o
Byron Pillay
updated at February 13, 2024 at 11:54 AM
- Many big-name players have won the coveted Golden Boot award at the Africa Cup of Nations
- Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o is among seven footballers who lifted the trophy in two separate editions
- Pierre Ndaye Mulamba set a record in 1974 for the most goals in one tournament by one player
The Africa Cup of Nations is days away, and excitement is building for this year’s tournament in Ivory Coast.
With some of the best African players in the world competing at the tournament, the race for this tournament’s Golden Boot award promises to be good.
The award is presented to the player who scores the most goals during the tournament, and many big-name stars have lifted it over the years.
Source: Getty Images
Sports Brief looks at the complete list of winners and some more interesting stats about the award.
The highest total to win the Golden Boot
With the recent tournaments featuring more fixtures, it has presented players with more of a chance to score goals. Despite this, the most goals scored by one player in a single tournament happened in 1974.
In that tournament, Zaire’s Pierre Ndaye Mulamba scored nine goals to help his side lift the trophy.
Mulamba scored twice in the final against Zambia, in a game that ended 2-2 after extra time.
The final was then replayed, and Mulamba once again scored two goals as Zaire beat Zambia 2-0 to lift the trophy.
Samuel Eto’o among seven repeat winners
Winning the Golden Boot award in one tournament is not easy, but seven players have won the coveted trophy twice.
Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast), Roger Milla (Cameroon), Abdoulaye Traore (Ivory Coast), Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria), Patrick Mboma (Cameroon), Francileudo dos Santos (Tunisia), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) all managed to bag the award more than once, though some did have to share it.
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Pokou was also the tournament’s leading all-time scorer until Eto’o surpassed him.
Every AFCON Golden Boot winner
YEARS | PLAYER(S) | GOALS SCORED |
1957 | Ad El Diba (Egypt) | 5 |
1959 | Mahmoud Al Gohari (Egypt) | 3 |
1962 | Mohamed Al Badawi (Egypt), Worku Mengistu (Ethiopia) | 3 |
1963 | Ahmed Al Chazli (Egypt) | 6 |
1965 | Abbrey Osei Kofi (Ghana), Eustace Mangli (Ivory Coast) | 3 |
1968 | Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast) | 6 |
1970 | Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast) | 8 |
1972 | Salif Keita (Mali) | 5 |
1974 | Pierre Ndaye Mulamba | 9 |
1976 | William Njo Lea (Guinea) | 4 |
1978 | Phillip Omondi (Uganda) | 4 |
1980 | Segun Odegbami (Nigeria) | 3 |
1982 | George Al Hassan (Ghana) | 4 |
1984 | Taher Abou Zeid (Egypt) | 4 |
1986 | Roger Milla (Cameroon), Abdoulaye Traore (Ivory Coast) | 4 |
1988 | Lakhdar Belloumi (Algeria), Roger Milla (Cameroon), Gamal Abdelhamid (Egypt), Abdoulaye Traore (Ivory Coast) | 4 |
1990 | Djamel Menad (Algeria) | 4 |
1992 | Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria) | 4 |
1994 | Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria) | 5 |
1996 | Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia) | 5 |
1998 | Hossam Hassan (Egypt), Benni McCarthy (South Africa) | 7 |
2000 | Shaun Bartlett (South Africa) | 5 |
2002 | Patrick Mboma(Cameroon), Salomon Olembe (Cameroon), Julius Aghahowa (Nigeria) | 3 |
2004 | Patrick Mboma (Cameroon), Frederic Kanoute (Mali), Austin Okocha (Nigeria), Youssef Mokhtari (Morocco), Francileudo dos Santos (Tunisia) | 4 |
2006 | Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Ahmed Hassan (Egypt), Francileudo dos Santos (Tunisia) | 4 |
2008 | Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) | 5 |
2010 | Mohamed Nagui (Egypt) | 5 |
2012 | Manucho (Angola), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Cheick Tidiane Diabate (Mali), Houcine Kharja (Morocco) Chris Katongo (Zambia), Emmanuel Mayuka (Zambia) | 3 |
2013 | Emmanuel Emenike (Nigeria), Mubarak Wakaso (Ghana) | 4 |
2015 | Ahmed Akaichi (Tunisia), Andre Ayew (Ghana), Dieumerci Mbokani (DR Congo), Javier Balboa (Equatorial Guinea), Thievy Biffouma (Congo) | 3 |
2017 | Junior Kabananga (DR Congo) | 3 |
2019 | Odion Ighalo (Nigeria) | 5 |
2021 | Vincent Aboubakar | 8 |
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Frequently asked questions about AFCON
What is the fastest goal in AFCON history?
Egypt’s Ayman Mansour made history in 1994 when he scored the quickest goal ever in Africa Cup of Nations history.
What is the fastest hat-trick in AFCON history?
Benni McCarthy holds that distinct honour, scoring the fastest hat-trick during a game against Namibia in 1998.
Could any records be broken at this year's AFCON?
AFCON has an illustrious history, with many long-standing records forming part of that history. With the 2023 edition promising to be another action-packed event, Sports Brief looks at four records that could fall this year.
Who are the most valuable players competing at AFCON?
With the likes of Victor Osimhen, Mohamed Salah, and Andre Onana at the tournament, some of the continent's most valuable stars will be on show. But who tops the list? Here are the 10 most valuable players ahead of AFCON 2023.
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How much will the winner of AFCON receive?
Good news for participants this year: CAF have decided to increase the prize money on offer. The winners will now receive 40% more for going all the way.
Who has won the AFCON title the most times?
Only one side sits atop the mountain when it comes to most AFCON title wins. Egypt have won the tournament seven times, but Cameroon are closing in on them.
Who is the greatest scorer in AFCON history?
With some of the continent's most lethal strikers having featured in the tournament, competition to be crowned as the greatest striker in AFCON history would always be fierce. Sports Brief looks at the seven greatest goal scorers at AFCON.
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