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Top 10 richest African footballers and their net worths.

We know of world football stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba, Neymar Jr buying flashy cars and living their best lives.
That shows us that making a name for yourself in football comes with a big pay check.

As well as being a professional footballer comes with a big pay check, there are some who earn far more than others depending on your contract with your club.
We will all agree that players with big talent and huge potentials always have better wages.

Football fans accross the globe were left stunned after the details of Mbappe’s contract details were revealed. Mbappe’s new contract mean he will get 50 million euros net a year, which means a total of 150 million over three seasons. However, this will go up to 300 million through taxes and similar things.
It’s worth noting that Mbappe is just 24.

We look at Africa’s richest players both past and present according to their net worths from trusted sources.

Richest African footballers

10-Asamoah Gyan
22 November 1985 (age 36)
$23 million

The Former Ghanaian national team captain takes the 10th position on our list with a net worth of $23 million according to Owogram.

Gyan began his career in 2003 with Ghanaian Premier League club Liberty Professionals scoring ten goals in sixteen matches then spent three seasons with Serie A club Udinese via two seasons loan at Modena netting on fifteen occasions in 53 league matches and at Udinese where he scored 11 times in 39 league matches. In 2008, Gyan joined Ligue 1 club Rennes, netting fourteen times in forty-eight league matches during two seasons. In 2010, Gyan joined Premier League club Sunderland, breaking the club’s transfer record and netting on ten occasions in thirty-four Premier League matches during two seasons.

In 2011, Gyan joined Al Ain of the UAE Pro-League on loan and became the league’s top-goalscorer, scoring 24 times in 27 matches. In the following season, Gyan permanently joined Al Ain and once again became the league’s top-goalscorer while he helped Al Ain retain the UAE Pro-League title, scoring an impressive 28 goals in 32 matches. In the 2013–14 season, Gyan scored on 44 occasions in 40 matches with Al Ain.

Gyan is the all-time leading goalscorer of the Ghana national team, with 51 goals. He represented Ghana at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. With 6 goals, he is the top African goalscorer in the history of the World Cup.

Though without a Club, the player has not officially announced his retirement from football and has also reiterated his interest in representing Ghana in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

9-Michael Essien
3 December 1982 (age 39)
$35 million

Michael Kojo Essien has a net worth of $35 million. Essien started his career playing for Liberty Professionals in Ghana. In 2000, he moved to France to join Bastia, where he would spend three seasons and appear in over 60 matches before joining Ligue 1 title holders Lyon in 2003. At Lyon, Essien won back-to-back league titles in 2003–04 and 2004–05, and won Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2005. During his five-year stint in France, he acquired French citizenship. In 2005, Essien signed with Premier League side Chelsea for a £24.4 million transfer fee and, at the time of his signing, was the most expensive African footballer in history. At Chelsea, Essien helped the club win the Premier League in 2006 and 2010, as well as three FA Cups and one League Cup. He won the UEFA Champions League in 2011–12, while also placing as runner-up in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League. He has won the Chelsea Goal of the Season award twice, in the 2006–07 and 2008–09 seasons.

The former Ghanaian international has represented Ghana at 3 African Cup of Nations and 2 World Cups

8-Emmanuel Adebayor
Feb 26, 1984 (38 years old)
$45 million

The former Togolese international occupies the 8th position on our list.
He has a net worth of $45 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.

He previously played for English clubs Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, as well as French side Metz, Monégasque team Monaco, Spanish team Real Madrid, Turkish clubs İstanbul Başakşehir and Kayserispor, and Paraguay’s Club Olimpia.

He was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2008 while playing at Arsenal, and during his latter career, he became the most iconic signing in Paraguayan football and the highest paid player in the country’s history when he joined Olimpia Asunción in 2020.

7-Pierre Emerick Aubemeyang
Jun 18, 1989 (33 years old)
$50 million

One of the few active players on the list, the former Arsenal player has a networth of $51 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.

He plays as a striker for Spanish La Liga club Barcelona. He is renowned for his pace, finishing, and off-ball movement. Born in France, he is a former Gabonese international and is the country’s all-time top goalscorer.

The son of former Gabonese international Pierre Aubameyang, Pierre-Emerick began his senior club career playing for Italian club AC Milan, but never appeared for the club as he went on a series of loan spells in France. He moved to Saint-Étienne in 2011. There, he won a Coupe de la Ligue title and joined Borussia Dortmund in 2013. In Germany, Aubameyang finished as the league’s top goalscorer in the 2016–17 season and won a DFB-Pokal. He also ranks as the club’s seventh highest all-time goalscorer. In 2018, Aubameyang was the subject of a then-club record association football transfer when signed for Arsenal in a transfer worth £56 million (€60 million), making him the most expensive Gabonese player of all time. With Arsenal, he won an FA Cup and finished as the league’s joint-top goalscorer in the 2018–19 season. In 2022, Aubameyang joined Barcelona after his Arsenal contract was cancelled by mutual consent.

6-Seydou Keita
16 January 1980 (age 42)
$51 million

He most notably played for Lens (five seasons) and Barcelona (four), winning 14 titles with the latter club after signing in 2008. He started his youth career in Mali and his professional career with Marseille. His career would take him to clubs in France, Spain, China, Italy and Qatar.

Keita represented Mali since the age of 18, appearing in seven Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and winning 102 caps. He also held a French passport.

5-John Mikel Obi
22 April 1987 (age 35)
$60 million

Mikel began his career with local club Plateau United, before joining Norwegian club Lyn at the age of 17 in 2004. In 2006, he made a controversial transfer to English club Chelsea after Manchester United claimed they had already signed him. He stayed with Chelsea for 11 years, before moving to China with Tianjin TEDA in 2017. After two years in China, he returned to England on a short-term deal with Middlesbrough, before joining Trabzonspor on a free transfer in July 2019. Mikel moved back to England in August 2020 joining Stoke City. In a 14-year international career between 2005 and 2019, he played 91 times for Nigeria, scoring six goals.

John Mikel Obi occupies the 5th position with a net worth of $60million according to Owogram

4-Yaya Toure
13 May 1983
$90million

Considered as one of Africa’s greatest players of all time, the Ivorian international was a joy to watch in the midfield.
Touré aspired to be a striker during his youth and has played centre-back, including for Barcelona in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final. However, he has spent the majority of his career as a box-to-box midfielder for club and country, where he has been regarded as one of the world’s best players in his position. One of the greatest African players of all time, Touré was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Touré aspired to be a striker during his youth and has played centre-back, including for Barcelona in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final. However, he has spent the majority of his career as a box-to-box midfielder for club and country, where he has been regarded as one of the world’s best players in his position. One of the greatest African players of all time, Touré was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Touré began his playing career at Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas, where he made his debut at age 18. His performances attracted attention from Europe. He had stints with Beveren, Metalurh Donetsk, Olympiacos and Monaco before moving to Barcelona in 2007. He played over 100 matches for the club and was part of the historic 2009 Barcelona side that won six trophies in a calendar year. In 2010, Touré moved to Premier League club Manchester City, where he scored a number of key goals, most notably the only goals in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final and final. He also helped City earn their first league title in 44 years.

Touré earned 100 caps for the Ivory Coast from 2004 to 2015, representing the nation at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments. He also represented them in six Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015, helping them finish runner-up in 2006 and 2012, while captaining them to victory in 2015. He is the younger brother of fellow footballer Kolo Touré, who was his teammate at Manchester City and for the national team.

The former Manchester City player occupies the 4th position on our list with a networth of $80million according to Celebrity Net Worth

3-Mohammed Salah
15 June 1992 (age 30)
$90 million

One of the few active players on the list, the Egyptian National team captain is amongst the best paid players in the Premier League and one of the best players in the world.
He is known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed.

Salah started his senior career in 2010 playing for Al Mokawloon, departing in 2012 to join Basel, where he won two Swiss Super League titles. In 2014, Salah joined Chelsea for a reported fee of £11 million, but limited gametime led to successive loans to Fiorentina and Roma, who later signed him permanently for €15 million. In the 2016–17 season, Salah was a key figure in Roma’s title race against ultimate league winners Juventus, reaching double figures in both goals and assists.

In 2017, Salah signed for Liverpool for a then-club record transfer of £36.9 million. In his first season, he set the record for most Premier League goals scored (32) in a 38-game season and helped Liverpool to the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final. Salah went on to be an integral player in the club’s Champions League and Premier League title successes the following two seasons, and has since also won the FA Cup and the League Cup. Salah has achieved numerous individual accolades, including two PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards, three Premier League Golden Boots, the Premier League Player of the Season, the Premier League Playmaker of the Season, and finished third for the Best FIFA Men’s Player in 2018 and 2021. He received the 2018 FIFA Puskás Award for his winning strike in the first Merseyside derby of the 2017–18 season.

He is tied with Didier Drogba with whopping networth of $90million, making him Africa’s richest active player.

2- Didier Drogba $90million
11 March 1978 (age 44)
$90million

The former Ivorian international occupies the second position on the list with Net Worth of $90 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.
He is the all-time top scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team. He is best known for his career at Chelsea, for whom he has scored more goals than any other foreign player and is currently the club’s fourth highest goal scorer of all time. Drogba was named in the Chelsea team of the 2010–2020 decade by Chelsea’s fans. He was named African Footballer of the Year twice, winning the accolade in 2006 and 2009.

After playing in youth teams, Drogba made his professional debut aged 18 for Ligue 2 club Le Mans, and signed his first professional contract aged 21. After finishing the 2002–03 season with 17 goals in 34 appearances for Ligue 1 side Guingamp, he moved to Olympique de Marseille, where he finished as the third highest scorer in the 2003–04 season with 19 goals and helped the club reach the 2004 UEFA Cup Final.

In July 2004, Drogba moved to Premier League club Chelsea for a club record £24 million fee, making him the most expensive Ivorian player in history. In his debut season he helped the club win their first league title in 50 years, and a year later he won another Premier League title. His displays saw him named in the FIFA World XI for 2007.
In March 2012, he became the first African player to score 100 Premier League goals. Just two months later, he scored in Chelsea’s 2012 FA Cup Final win over Liverpool to become the first (and as of 2017, the only) player to score in four separate FA Cup finals. He also played in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final, in which he scored an 88th-minute equaliser and the winning penalty in the deciding shoot-out against Bayern Munich. After spending 6 months with Shanghai Shenhua in China, and one and a half seasons with Turkish club Galatasaray where he scored the winning goal in the final of the 2013 Turkish Super Cup, Drogba returned to Chelsea in July 2014. With a career record of scoring 10 goals in 10 finals winning 10 trophies at club level, Drogba has been referred to as the “ultimate big game player”. He joined Canadian club Montreal Impact in 2015 as a Designated Player and played 41 matches over two seasons, scoring 23 goals. Drogba became a player–owner for Phoenix Rising of the United Soccer League in 2017, and retired a year later at the age of 40. On April 21 2022, he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

An Ivory Coast international between 2002 and 2014, Drogba captained the national team from 2006 until his retirement from the Ivory Coast team and is the nation’s all-time top goalscorer with 65 goals from 105 appearances. He led the Ivory Coast to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, their first appearance in the tournament, and also scored their first goal. He later captained the Ivory Coast at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

1-SAMUEL ETO’O
10 March 1981 (age 41)
$90million

The four time African player of the year winner tops the list with a whopping net worth of $95 million according to Celebritynetworth.
Samuel Eto’o put an end to his decorated football carreer in 2020. The striker who is now Cameroon Football Federation president was once the worlds highest paid footballer when he signed with Russian Side Anzhi Makhachkala in 2011.

A precocious talent, Eto’o moved to Real Madrid as a 16 year old. Due to competition in his position with more experienced players, he had several loan spells, before signing for Mallorca in 2000 where he scored 70 goals. His impressive form saw him join Barcelona in 2004 where he scored 130 goals in five seasons and also became the record holder for the most appearances by an African player in La Liga. Winning La Liga three times, he was a key member of the Barcelona attack, alongside Ronaldinho, that won the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final, with Eto’o scoring in the final, and was part of a front three of Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry that won the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final, with Eto’o again scoring in the final. He is the second player in history to score in two UEFA Champions League finals. At Barcelona, Eto’o came in third for the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2005 and was twice named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI, in 2005 and 2006.

He signed with Inter Milan for the 2009–10 season, where he became the first player to win two European continental trebles following his back-to-back achievements with Barcelona and Inter. He is the fourth player in Champions League history, after Marcel Desailly, Paulo Sousa, and Gerard Piqué, to have won the trophy two years in a row with different teams. After brief spells with Anzhi Makhachkala, Chelsea, Everton, and Sampdoria, Eto’o found prolific form again in the Süper Lig with Antalyaspor having scored 44 goals in 76 league games. In 2015, he received the Golden Foot Award.

As a member of the Cameroon national team, Eto’o was a part of the squad that won the Gold Medal at the 2000 Olympics. He also won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002. Eto’o has participated in four World Cups and six Africa Cup of Nations. He is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, with 18 goals, and is Cameroon’s all-time leading scorer and third most capped player, with 56 goals in 118 caps. Eto’o announced his retirement from international football in August 2014.

Through out his playing career, Samuel Eto’o played for 13 different clubs.