AFCON top scorers of all time: Who is the greatest scorer in the competition?

Many national teams have played for the Golden trophy and produced notable AFCON top scorers since the Africa Cup of Nations began in 1957. Many legendary players have emerged from Africa's most prestigious tournament, the Cup of Nations. This article will look at the nations represented by the highest goal scorers at AFCON throughout the years.

Samuel Eto'o stands head and shoulders above the crowd of legendary AFCON attendees but is by far the AFCON's highest goal scorer. The Cameroonian striker has solidified his position as the competition's all-time leading scorer thanks to his incredible consistency and prolific goal-scoring ability.

AFCON's highest goal scorer of all time

Many of football's all-time great strikers have come from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). According to various African football like Goal, here are the 10 AFCON top scorers of all time.

Jorginho's net worth, house, cars, contract dating, salary, age, stats

Football

10. Joel Tiehi

• Date of birth: June 12, 1964
• Citizenship: Ivorian
• Position: Centre-forward
• Caps/Goals: 40/25

Sportsmole ranks Tiehi among the all-time best Ivory Coast footballers. He made his debut in 1992 and proceeded to shine in the 1994 and 1998 tournaments, scoring four goals each time. Tiehi guided the Elephants to a respectable third-place finish in the 1998 AFCON.

9. Ndaye Mulamba

• Date of birth: November 4, 1948
• Citizenship: Congolese
• Position: Midfield
• Caps/Goals: 10/18

Mulamba set a record in 1994 by scoring nine goals in a single edition of the competition. In only six games, he accomplished the record and led the then-Zaire (now DR Congo) to victory, scoring twice in the semi-finals against hosts Egypt.

8. Kalusha Bwalya

• Date of birth: August 16, 1963
• Citizenship: Zambian
• Position: Centre-forward
• Caps/Goals: 100/50

Kalusha Bwalya, a legendary footballer from Zambia, is among the all-time leading scorers at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). He helped Chipolopolo finish runners-up in the 1994 AFCON after losing to Nigeria.

Kylian Mbappe's salary, house, cars, contract, dating, net worth, age, stats, latest news

Football

Bwalya was not on the plane that crashed in 1993, killing many members of the Zambian national team. He captained his nation to the 1994 AFCON but only scored a goal. Kalusha finished as the top scorer in the 1996 edition with five goals.

7. Patrick Mboma

• Date of birth: November 11, 1970
• Citizenship: Cameroon
• Position: Centre-forward
• Caps/Goals: 58/33

Patrick Mboma stood out as one of the star performers in the 2002 and 2004 Cup of Nations. Mbomba is one of the best scorers and among the most AFCON winners. He led Cameroon to triumphs in 2000 and 2002.

Mboma finished as a joint top scorer at the 2022 and 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, following his victory in the 2000 Sydney Olympics football final against Spain.

6. Hossam Hassan

• Date of birth: August 10, 1966
• Citizenship: Egyptian
• Position: Centre-forward
• Caps/Goals: 176/68

AS Monaco legends: Top 10 all-time greats for the Monégasques

Football

Hassan was integral to Egypt's 1986 and 1998 AFCON championship teams and is the country's all-time leading scorer. He was highly successful for a long time, both at home and abroad.

Hassan scored eleven goals in the competition and helped Egypt win the title in 1986, 1998, and 2006. His seven goals in the 1998 AFCON Cup were awe-inspiring. Around that time, he scored twice in a semi-final match against Burkina Faso, the hosts, and a hat trick against Zambia.

5. Didier Drogba

• Date of birth: March 11, 1978
• Citizenship: Ivorian
• Position: Centre-forward
• Caps/Goals: 105/65

Drogba is a legendary footballer and one of the best African legends. He led Ivory Coast to their maiden AFCON final in 2006, which they lost. The former Chelsea player finished runner-up in the scoring chart with three goals each in the 2006 and 2012 tournaments.

4. Hassan El-Shazly

The Karim Benzema story: From being banned from the France national team to winning the Ballon d'Or

Football

• Date of birth: November 13, 1943
• Citizenship: Egyptian
• Position: Centre-forward
• Caps/Goals: 62/42

At the height of his international career, at 1963's AFCON, Hassan El-Shazly scored six goals. He had an impressive goal-scoring record, but Egypt never won the tournament under his leadership. In 1963, El-Shazly scored six goals at the AFCON. The Egyptians scored six more goals during the illustrious competition, as per Transfermarkt stats.

3. Rashidi Yekini

• Date of birth: October 23, 1963
• Citizenship: Nigerian
• Position: Centre-forward
• Caps/Goals: 57/37

Many consider Yekini to be the best Nigerian footballer of all time. He is still highly regarded in Nigerian football for his devastating and precise finishing, contributing to Nigeria's 1994 AFCON victory. Nigerian Rashidi Yekini led all scorers at the 1992 and 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, the latter of which his team won.

2. Laurent Pokou

• Date of birth: August 10, 1947
• Citizenship: Ivorian
• Position: Attack
• Caps/Goals: 30/21

Mexico's World Cup Squad 2022: Is Ochoa playing in this World Cup?

Football

The illustrious Ivorian striker Pokou amassed an incredible AFCON scoring record. His impact on Ivorian and continental football was immense, and he accomplished this feat in only two tournaments.

According to Knel Now, Pokou was a two-time Golden Boot winner with fourteen goals in eight games throughout the 1968 and 1970 AFCONs. He once scored five goals against Ethiopia.

1. Samuel Etoo

• Date of birth: March 10, 1981
• Citizenship: Cameroon
• Position: Attack
• Caps/Goals: 118/56

Among the best African footballers of all time, Eto'o is renowned for his goal-scoring prowess. He played an essential role in Cameroon's two AFCON victories (2000 and 2002) and led the list of the AFCON top scorers as of 2024.

The Olympics rate Eto'o as the most successful player in the Africa Cup of Nations. He won two Golden Boots (2006 and 2008) and is the all-time goalscorer with 18 goals in 29 games.

Everything you need to know about Osinachi Ohale, the Super Falcon’s defender

Football

Frequently asked questions

Samuel Eto'o tops the list of the top scorers in the African Cup of Nations. Here are a few commonly asked questions about the top scorers in AFCON history.

Who is the all-time leading goal scorer at AFCON?

Samuel Eto'o scored an incredible 18 goals, putting him first on AFCON's all-time top scorers' list.

Who is Kenya’s highest-ever goal scorer?

According to Transfermarkt, Michael Olunga is Kenya's all-time top scorer, with 26 goals in 50 matches as of April 2024. Dennis Oliech is second with 19 goals in 47 games.

Who has won AFCON the most?

With seven championships, Egypt has more AFCON victories than any other African nation.

Final word

The list of AFCON top scorers of all time consists of legendary African footballers. Some, like Francileudo Santos, Angrew Ayew, and Mane, significantly impacted their national teams in the AFCON but have not scored much. Samuel Eto'o remains the all-time leader.

Saudi Arabia league's top scorers: who are the goal machines in Saudi Arabia?

Football

READ ALSO: The player profile and personal life facts of Josh Lord

Sports Brief published an article on one of New Zealand's professional rugby players, Jean Josh Lord. He represents the Chiefs and the New Zealand national rugby union team.

Josh Lord's Chiefs career began in 2019 when he made his provincial debut for Taranaki. However, injuries have ruled him out of most New Zealand games. Click on the link above to dive into his personal and professional life.