The African Cup of Nations is a prestigious football tournament featuring African top teams and is held every two years. The tournament has featured several iconic names in different editions, with several of these players making their marks with remarkable goalscoring feats and contributing to their country’s successes.
From four-time African footballer of the year Samuel Eto’o to legendary ex-Super Eagles striker Rashidi Yekini, here are the top goalscorers in AFCON history.
Samuel Eto’o (18 goals)
Cameroon great Samuel Eto’o is the highest goalscorer in AFCON history with 18 goals from 29 appearances across six editions between 2000 and 2010. The former Barcelona striker, regarded as the best footballer in African history, won the golden boot award for the competition’s top scorer on two occasions, in 2006 and 2008.
Eto’o also lifted the AFCON title twice, in 2000 and 2002, before retiring as Cameroon all-time goalscorer with 56 goals.
Laurent Pokou (14 goals)
Now of blessed memory, Ivory Coast legend Laurent Pokou ranks second on this list with 14 goals coming from 13 appearances in just two editions of the tournament. Pokou won the golden boot awards on both of his tournament appearances, with six goals in the 1968 edition and eight goals in the 1970 edition.
He produced the greatest individual display in AFCON history, becoming the only player to score five times in a single match in Ivory Coast’s 6-1 win against Ethiopia in 1970.
Rashidi Yekini (13 goals)
Former Nigerian striker Rashidi Yekini scored 13 goals from 24 matches at the AFCON finals. He won both the golden boot and the golden ball awards to guide Nigeria to victory in the 1994 title.
Yekini also finished second with the Super Eagles on three occasions, in 1984,1988 and in 1990.
Hassan El-Shazly (12 goals)
Egyptian great Hassan El-Shazly has produced the best goal to minute ratio in AFCON history, with his 12 goals coming from just eight appearances across two editions.
He also remains the only player to have scored two hat-tricks in the tournament’s history, netting one in 1963 and his second in 1970. El-Shazly was also the recipient of the golden boot award in 1963, after scoring six times in the competition.
Patrick Mboma (11 goals)
The former Cameroon striker is the first of the three players with 11 goals at the AFCON finals. Patrick Mboma led his country to success at the 2000 and 2002 editions, claiming the prestigious CAF footballer of the year in 2000.
Hossam Hassan (11 goals)
Egyptian legend Hossam Hassan also scored 11 goals at the African Cup of Nations in 21 appearances. The former Al Ahly forward shared the golden boot with South African legend Benni McCarthy in 1998 as both players finished with seven goals.
Hassan lifted the AFCON trophy three times, with a twelve year gap between his first and second successes. He lifted his first title in 1986 before winning further titles in 1998 and 2006.
Didier Drogba (11 goals)
The third player with 11 goals on this list, Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba rounds up this list. The former Chelsea star featured 24 times, and captained his side to two final appearances in 2006 and 2012, losing to Egypt and Zambia respectively.
