While some have won the award on just one occasion, several footballers have claimed the prestigious award multiple time. This list explores the top 5 African footballer who have won the award more than once.
Samuel Eto’o (Four wins)
Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o has the joint-highest number of the African footballer of the year award, winning it on four occasions. The Barcelona legend won three consecutive awards between 2003 and 2005, before adding a fourth in 2010.
Eto’o became the first player to win the award three years in a row and was also the first player to win it four times. He also finished runner-up two times, in 2006 and 2009, while he finished third just once in 2001.
Yaya Toure (Four wins)
The former Ivory Coast midfielder also won the African footballer of the year award four times, same number as Samuel Eto’o. Yaya Toure remains the only player in history to have won the award on four consecutive occasions, between 2011 and 2014.
The ex-Manchester City midfielder also secured a podium finish in 2015, finishing second behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and made the CAF team of the year seven times between 2008 and 2015, crowning a legendary career.
George Weah (Three wins)
Former Liberia international George Weah ranks third on this list with three African footballer of the year awards. He won the award for a first time in 1989 before further wins in 1994 and 1995.
Weah, who later served as president of his country between 2018 and 2024, also finished second four times and remains the only African footballer to have won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year till date.
Abedi Pele (Three wins)
Iconic figure Abedi Pele, won the African footballer of the year award three times. He won the award for a first time in 1991 and was the first recipient of the award after it was rebranded in 1992.
The Ghana legend claimed a third award win in 1993, ahead of Tony Yeboah and Nigeria’s Rashidi Yekini.
Didier Drogba (Two wins)
Former Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba is one of seven players to have won the award twice, although he narrowly edges the others having also finished as runner-up four times.
Drogba won the award in 2006 and 2009, with second-placed finishes in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2012.
