DECADES OF AFRICAN FOOTBALLERS IN DIASPORA

African football has indeed come of age which has alot of impact in Europe and other part of the world,dated back to 1888-1889 Football season in England when an unknown Ghanaian boy called ARTHUR WHARTON from then Gold coast,became the first ever African to play in Europe.
Arthur Wharton was born on the 28th of October 1965.
Below is a picture of Arthur Wharton,the first black/African to play in England. 

He was born in Ghana,his father was half Grenadian and half Scottish and his mother was half Scottish from Ghanaian royalty. In 1882 Arthur moved to England to train as a missionary,but after a short spell he decided to follow his true ambition in pursuing a sports career.


He played for Stalybridge Rovers,Preston North End and Stockport County.

European Clubs has been clamouring for more African footballers doe to their stamina,resilience ,strength,pace and to cap it all their ingenuity in the goal mouth. What makes African players so unique is their dogged determination combined with their natural raw talents and idiosyncratic techniques.


In 1930's more African footballers left the shores of Africa to France ,French most glamourous club then,Olympique Mersielle signed a Moroccan LARBI BEN BAREK,who was paid back with a superlative performance in all the matches he played .His technical and tactical ability pulled thousands of fans who turned out to watch Olympic Marsielle. Barek wasn't a unique nor fantastic player but his exceptional magnetism signled him out as a worthy of emulation by European Football adherents which earned him a nicknamed " THE PEARL" and the french applauded the skills of this African.

Many other African great footballers followed due to the advantage of European Clubs to showcase their talents.

Towards the end of the 50's,precisely at the 6th edition of the world cup final competition in Sweden 1958, a young man born in Bauxite City of Marekkesh Morocco JUST FONTAINE,who has become a French citizen,hit the global scene in grand style .Fontaine scored 13 goals to emerge the top scorer of the 1958 world cup .

It was in the 60's and 70's more Africans began to have the zeal to play in Europe for the growth of the game and the prestige Africans now enjoy in Europe and beyond.

In the 60's there were names like DA SILVA FERRERIA EUSEBIO,the Mozambican-born protuguese international,who painted  Europe red with commemorative goals including being the top scorer after scoring 9 goals at the 1966 world cup in England.

Cameroon also had her attention of the media attraction ,players like Roger Albert Milla and goal keeper Thomas Nkono  stole the show as the revelation of Espana 82 .

African football has gone from strength to strength ,players this days find themselves in gold while they play their trade in Europe compared to the peanuts earned by our past Hero's .


Africa has produced some mega stars in the past years till date 

Below are  Greatest African players  of all time.

George Weah

George Weah was Africa’s frontiersman!George Weah. A worthy example on how to ball in Africa. He had speed, power and great shooting ability. He terrorized the defenders with his blistering pace and sheer presence.
Laurels: Won an FA Cup with Chelsea, 2 Serie A titles with AC Milan and the French Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain. Named World Player of the Year in 1995 by FIFA. Won CAF’s Player of the Year 3 times (1989, 1994, 1995), Onze d’Or (Onze Mondial European Footballer of the Year) and Ballon d’Or awards in 1995, UEFA Champions League top scorers (1994-95) and scored 194 goals in his goal-poaching line of business. And here, the pick of the bunch: “African Player of the Century” in 1996.

Samuel Eto’o Fils
 Eto’o is fast footed and capable of leaving his markers flailing behind him. He possesses a howitzer of a right foot, can link play beautifully and has also learned to hold the ball up more effectively. Thumping drives, delicate chips, jinking runs, audacious back-heels, even the odd header
Honours: Young African Player of the Year: 2000, African Player of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2006, UEFA Team of the Year: 2005, 2006, African Cup of Nations Top Scorer: 2006, 2008, UEFA Champions League Best Forward: 2006, La Liga Top Scorer: 2006, African Cup of Nations All-Time Top Scorer, RCD Mallorca All-Time Top Scorer, Cameroon All-Time Top Scorer, 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year Third, UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match 2006, FIFA Club World Cup – Golden Ball 2010, CAF Starting XI in the Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2006

ROGER MILLA

Roger Milla who won the best African footballer of the half century award is often ascribed as the encouragement behind modern African football and without doubt a major actor behind Cameroon’s football success story. The heart, soul and essence of the Cameroon sides of the ’80s and ’90s, Milla went on to be named the African Footballer of the 20th Century. Lofty heights for a man, especially considering that the award was earned based on his achievements after reaching the age of 38!
 His footballing aspirations were rising, his abilities to take dribbles at defenders were fading: but his heroics will be forever celebrated
Individual: FIFA 100 Best Players. CAF Best African Player of the last 50 years: 2007. African Footballer of the Year: 1976, 1990. CAF Africa Cup of Nations joint-top scorer: 1984 (four goals), 1986 (four goals). CAF Africa Cup of Nations best player: 1986.

National Honours: CAF Africa Cup of Nations winner: 1984, 1988.

Abedi Ayew Pele

Abedi  was hailed as one of the finest to have ever kicked the ball.Skilful,Tricky, An uninhibited playmaker. Abedi Ayew Pele stands tall in the annals of football history in Africa. His enormous giving to football growth in Ghana and Africa are insuperable.
His dexterous skills and elegant athleticism makes him one of Africa’s most successful exports and one of its most fêted sons. The only Ghanaian this far named in Pele’s ‘FIFA 100’ list of the greatest players in history, Ayew’s most important contribution to African football could be as inspiration to the next generations of African footballers that grew up watching him play against the best in the world
National team: 67 caps (33 goals)

Honours: Africa Cup of Nations winner (1982), Africa Cup of Nations Best Player (1992), African Player of the Year (1991, 1992, 1993), European Champions League winner (1993), French Ligue 1 champion (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992), French Cup winner (1989), Prince of Qatar Cup winner (1983) and UAE Cup winner (1999).

Didier Drogba

There have been few, if any, healthier goal-poachers in Africa’s footballing history either than Didier Drogba. With his work ethic, rate of knots, muscle, capacity to win headers and readiness to run at defenders with the ball, Drogba poses the sort of danger that has defenders revising their defensive lesson notes after every game. You judge a striker by his goals.
Drogba was a nightmare and lurid for opposing goalkeepers, was the forerunner, whom given the slightest chance, could often find a way to put the ball in the goal that cluded other strikers’ abilities.The Ivorian was one-of-kind player that was great in bulk force; he was a force of nature without anyone capable of stopping his tremendous physical power. Not only he was strong, he had a strapping shooting knotted with making goalies make a misery out of their careers in the last 30 metres. All his team mates have to do is nit a pass to Drogba. The rest of the story leaves fans thronging out of stadiums with never-ending smiles.
Club Honours: Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10: Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07: FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10: FA Community Shield: 2005, 2009

Individual honours: Onze d’Or: 2004, UEFA Cup Top Scorer: 2004, Ligue 1 Goal of the Year: 2004, Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2004, Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2004, Ivorian Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2007, African Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2009, Chelsea Players’ Player of the Year: 2007, Premier League Golden Boot: 2007, 2010, PFA Team of the Year: 2007, 2010, UEFA Team of the Year: 2007, ESM Team of the Year: 2007, FIFPro World XI: 2007, BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2009, West African Footballer of the Year : 2010, Chelsea Player of the Year: 2010, Time Top 100: 2010, Côte d’Ivoire all-time Top Scorer.

Nwankwo Kanu 

One of the most decorated player in African football history. That answers it. So, forget the poor lifestyle choices. Forget his health battles. Forget his slow pass of the ball. For years Kanu was the best player in Africa and a remarkable talent.
 A legend in his own time, Nwankwo Kanu is both the most successful and most consistent Nigerian international of his generation. He scored spectacular goals, terrorized defenders with his aggression and grit and went over the top when the boots were flying. As a forward he combined brute force and subtle skill to a devastating effect, which made him at his peak the majority of top-flight central defenders’ most-feared opponent.
Honours: 1993 U-17 FIFA World Cup Winner. African Footballer of the Year: 1996 & 1999. African Cup of Nations : 1994 (Nigeria); Barclays Premier League : 2002, 2004 (Arsenal); Community Shield : 1999, 2000, 2003 (Arsenal); Eredivisie : 1994, 1995, 1996 (Ajax); European Super Cup : 1996 (Ajax); FA Cup : 2002, 2003 (Arsenal), 2008 (Portsmouth); FIFA Club World Cup : 1996 (Ajax); UEFA Champions League : 1995 (Ajax); UEFA Europa League : 1998 (Internazionale)

Yaya Toure

Touré began his European career in 2001 at K.S.K. Beveren, a Belgian club that featured several African players. He moved to the Ukraine's FC Metalurh Donetsk in 2003 and then to Olympiacos FC in Greece in 2005, gaining valuable experience while adding muscle to his 6'2" frame. After helping Olympiacos win the league title and Greek Cup in 2006, the midfielder proudly suited up for the Ivory Coast's first FIFA World Cup squad that summer before moving to AS Monaco for a season.
Signed by Spanish giants FC Barcelona in 2007, Touré was a member of the star-studded club that won an unprecedented six trophies during the 2009 calendar year. The Champions League victory came with Touré playing out of position at center-back, and he helped Barcelona win a second straight league title in 2010 before making his second consecutive World Cup appearance that summer for the Ivory Coast.

Touré scored the lone goal in the 2011 FA Cup final to give Manchester City its first major title in 35 years, and then led the club to its first Premier League championship in 44 years the following season. Celebrated both in England and in his home country.
Individual : 4 Consecutive ,African footballer of the year awards , he remains the highiest profile winner of the crown along side Samuel Eto
HONOURS : Greek Super League Olympiacos,Champions League FC Barcelona 2009,Club World Cup FC Barcelona 2009,Liga FC Barcelona 2009, 2010,European Super Cup FC Barcelona 2010, Spanish Supercopa FC Barcelona 2010 , FA Cup Manchester City2011 ,Premier League Manchester City 2012, 2014,Community Shield Manchester City2013