When Sadio Mane moved to Bayern Munich from Liverpool in 2022, he signed a contract to become the highest-paid African football player. His massive salary surpassed his former teammate, Mohamed Salah.
But the talent pool in Africa has seen many European clubs pay top dollar for signing African players. For example, Nicolas Pepe of Ivory Coast broke Arsenal FC’s transfer record in 2019, signing for £72 million or $85 million.
Although their transfer fees are high, many African footballers also get paid much money to play football.
Considering the salaries earned and endorsements, there are the richest African footballers in 2024?
1. Samuel Eto’o – $95 Million
- Clubs: Real Madrid, Leganes, Espanyol, Mallorca, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Anzhi Makhachkala, Chelsea, Everton, Sampdoria, Antalyaspor, Konyasport, Qatar SC
- National Team: Cameroon
- Position: Striker
Samuel Eto’o is the richest African footballer of all time. He has an estimated net worth of $95 million.
Eto’o received an annual salary of $26 million during his days as a player.
Noteworthy, he retired from playing club football in 2019. He then went on to become an interim player-manager for Antalyaspor between 2015 and 2016.
Currently, Samuel Eto’o is the President of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT).
2. Didier Drogba – $90 Million
- Clubs: Dunkerque, Tourcoing, Abbeville, Vannes, Levallois, Le Mans, Guingamp, Marseille, Chelsea, Shanghai Shenhua, Galatasaray, Montreal Impact, Phoenix Rising
- National Team: Ivory Coast
- Position: Striker
Didier Drogba is one of the richest African footballers. As of 2024, the former Ivorian international has an estimated net worth of $90 million.
Didier Drogba received an annual income of $15 million at some point in his career. In July 2004, he signed for Chelsea from Marseille at a club-record fee of £24 million.
However, Chelsea broke the record in 2005 when it signed another African player, Michael Essien.
3. Mohamed Salah – $90 Million
- Clubs: Ittihad Basyoun, Othmason Tanta, Al Mokawloon, Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina, AS Roma, Liverpool
- National Team: Egypt
- Position: Forward
Mohamed Salah has an estimated net worth of $90 million. Although he is not the richest footballer in the world, he is the highest-paid footballer at Liverpool FC.
Salah receives a weekly salary of $441,631. Also, the Egyptian forward has many endorsements that have hiked his annual salary to $35 million.
Mohamed Salah has received more than $76 million in gross earnings playing for Chelsea, Fiorentina, AS Roma, and Liverpool since 2013.
4. Yaya Toure – $70 Million
- Clubs: Beveren, Metalurh Donetsk, Olympiacos, Monaco, Barcelona, Manchester City, Qingdao Huanghai
- National Team: Ivory Coast
- Position: Defensive Midfielder
Yaya Toure’s net worth is $70 million. The former Ivorian midfielder received an annual salary of $19 million.
The bulk of Yaya Toure’s wealth came when he played for Manchester City between 2013 and 2018. The English Premier League club paid him $239,743 weekly.
Yaya Toure retired from playing football in 2020. He then began his management career in 2021. Toure is now an academy coach at Tottenham FC.
5. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – $50 Million
- Clubs: ASL L’Huisserie, Nice, Laval, Bastia, AC Milan, Dijon, Lille, Monaco, Saint-Étienne, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea
- National Team: Gabon
- Position: Striker
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has a net worth of $50 million. In addition, the former Gabon striker receives an annual salary of $18 million.
In January 2018, Arsenal FC signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for £56 million. The fee became the highest Arsenal ever paid to a player.
However, Nicolas Pepe broke the record in 2019 when he joined Arsenal for £72 million.
6. Emmanuel Adebayor – $45 Million
- Clubs: OC Agaza, Metz, Monaco, Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, İstanbul Basaksehir, Kayserispor, Olimpia, Semassi
- National Team: Togo
- Position: Striker
Emmanuel Adebayor’s net worth is $45 million. The former Togolese striker made most of his wealth playing for Tottenham and İstanbul Basaksehir.
Between 2013 and 2020, Emmanuel Adebayor received over $31 million in gross earnings from Tottenham, Crystal Palace, İstanbul Basaksehir, and Kayserispor.
7. Mikel John Obi – $45 Million
- Clubs: Plateau United, Lyn, Chelsea, Tianjin TEDA, Middlesbrough, Trabzonspor, Stoke City, Kuwait SC
- National Team: Nigeria
- Position: Defensive Midfielder
Mikel John Obi has an estimated net worth of $45 million. He played for 11 years for English Premier League side Chelsea FC.
Chelsea FC paid £16 million in June 2006 for his services. However, Mikel John Obi had agreed to join Manchester United for £4 million and even had a Manchester United jersey.
His deal with Manchester United failed after allegations of kidnapping and a transfer saga involving three teams took a year to resolve.
8. Michael Essien – $35 Million
- Clubs: Liberty Professionals, Bastia, Lyon, Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Panathinaikos, Persib Bandung, Sabail
- National Team: Ghana
- Position: Defensive Midfielder
As of now, Michael Essien has an estimated net worth of $35 million. The former Ghanaian midfielder received an annual salary of $4 million.
In 2005, Michael Essien became Chelsea’s most expensive signing. The English Premier League club paid Lyon a transfer fee of £24.4 million ($47.06 million at that time) to sign Essien.
9. Sadio Mane – $25 Million
- Clubs: Metz, Red Bull Salzburg, Southampton, Liverpool, Bayern Munich
- National Team: Senegal
- Position: Forward, Winger
Although he is not the richest player in Africa, Sadio Mane is the highest-paid footballer in Africa. The Senegalese forward receives a weekly salary of $463,683 from Bayern Munich.
However, Sadio Mane has an estimated net worth of $25 million. Like many footballers, Sadio Mane spends a portion of his salary on charity.
He has built a school, hospital, stadium, petrol station, and post office in his village of Bambali, Senegal. Furthermore, Mane sends his villagers a stipend of €70 monthly.
As a result, Sadio Mane has spent more than $680,000 improving the lives of his villagers.
10. Achraf Hakimi – $24 Million
- Clubs: Colonia Ofigevi, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain
- National Team: Morocco
- Position: Right Back, Left Back
Achraf Hakimi has a net worth of $24 million. In addition, the Moroccan international receives a weekly salary of $306,663 from Paris Saint-Germain.
However reports emerged that Achraf Hakimi’s assets were allegedly under his mother’s name. This came hot on the heels of the news that Hakimi is also undergoing a divorce from his wife, Hiba Abouk.
Worth noting that Hakimi could lose part of his net worth if his divorce is finalised. The Moroccan has two children with Hiba Abouk.
11. Riyad Mahrez – $21 Million
- Clubs: AAS Sarcelles, Quimper, Le Havre, Leicester City, Manchester City
- National Team: Algeria
- Position: Winger
In July 2018, Riyad Mahrez signed for Manchester City from Leicester City on a five-year contract at a fee of £60 million. The amount made Mahrez the most expensive African footballer at that time.
Noteworthy, Leicester City signed Riyad Mahrez in 2013 for only £450,000. The Algerian winger helped the team win its first-ever English Premier League title in 2015.
Riyad Mahrez receives a weekly salary of $201,889 from Manchester City. As of now, Riyad Mahrez has a net worth of $21 million.
12. Kevin-Prince Boateng – $20 Million
- Clubs: Reinickendorfer Füchse, Hertha BSC, Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund, Portsmouth, Genoa, AC Milan, Schalke 04, Las Palmas, Eintracht Frankfurt, Sassuolo, Barcelona, Fiorentina, Besiktas, Monza
- National Team: Ghana
- Position: Midfielder
Kevin-Prince Boateng has an estimated net worth of $20 million. Also, he receives an annual salary of $4 million.
Although he was born in Berlin, Germany, Kevin-Prince Boateng played for the Ghana national team between 2010 and 2014.
FIFA allowed him to play for Ghana because his father is Ghanaian, and he received a Ghanaian passport.
13. Benni McCarthy – $16 Million
- Clubs: Young Pirates, Crusaders, Seven Stars, Cape Town, Ajax, Celta Vigo, FC Porto, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United, Orlando Pirates
- National Team: South Africa
- Position: Forward
Benni McCarthy has an estimated net worth of $16 million. In 1997, McCarthy signed for Spanish side Celta de Vigo at a transfer fee of €6 million.
The fee made him the most expensive South African player at that time. Benni McCarthy retired from football in 2013.
In July 2022, Benni McCarthy became the first-team coach at Manchester United, a position that he holds now.
14. Jay-Jay Okocha – $15 Million
- Clubs: Enugu Rangers, Borussia Neunkirchen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers, Qatar SC, Hull City
- National Team: Nigeria
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
Jay-Jay Okocha has an estimated net worth of $15 million.
In 1998, the Nigerian international signed for French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain at £14 million. The fee made him the most expensive African player at that time.
Jay-Jay played 527 matches for club and country. He scored 103 goals in his career.
15. Kolo Toure – $10.5 Million
- Clubs: ASEC Mimosas, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Celtic
- National Team: Ivory Coast
- Position: Defender
Kolo Toure has an estimated net worth of $10.5 million. When he played for Liverpool FC between 2013 and 2016, he received an annual salary of $4.6 million.
Kolo Toure retired as a footballer in 2015. So, he became a UEFA-licensed coach and began his career in management with the Ivory Coast under-23 team.
He has since coached Leicester City and Wigan Athletic.
16. Nwankwo Kanu – $9 Million
- Clubs: Iwuanyanwu Nationale, Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth
- National Team: Nigeria
- Position: Striker
Nwankwo Kanu’s estimated net worth is $9 million. In 1996, Kanu signed for Inter Milan from Ajax FC at a transfer fee of $4.7 million.
Arsenal FC then signed Kanu in 1999 for approximately £4.15 million. In 2012, he retired from playing football.
Nwankwo Kany played 502 matches for club and country and scored 118 goals.
17. Vincent Enyeama – $7 Million
- Clubs: Ibom Stars, Enyimba, Iwuanyanwu Nationale, Bnei Yehuda, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Lille, Maccabi Tel Aviv
- National Team: Nigeria
- Position: Goalkeeper
Vincent Enyeama was unlucky not to play for the top leagues in Europe. Nevertheless, he made significant salaries in his career spanning 19 years.
Enyeama retired in 2018 after playing 632 games for club and country and scoring 20 goals, making him one of the highest scoring goalkeepers ever.
Vincent Enyeama has a net worth of $7 million. Enyeama made more than $6 million playing for Lille between 2013 and 2017.
18. Kwadwo Asamoah – $6 Million
- Clubs: Kaaseman, Liberty Professionals, Bellinzona, Torino, Udinese, Juventus, Inter Milan, Cagliari
- National Team: Ghana
- Position: Central Midfielder
Kwadwo Asamoah has an estimated net worth of $6 million. The Ghanaian midfielder earned over $31 million playing for Udinese, Juventus, and Inter Milan between 2009 and 2020.
Inter Milan paid him the most weekly salary between 2018 and 2020 at $117,185. Although he joined Cagliari in 2021, he became a free agent a year later and retired from football in 2022.
19. Wilfried Zaha – $4 Million
- Clubs: Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Cardiff
- National Team: Ivory Coast
- Position: Forward, Winger
Wilfried Zaha makes this football rich-list of African players because of his net worth of $4 million.
Although Zaha played for the England youth and national teams, he is an Ivorian born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Wilfried Zaha returned to play for Ivory Coast in 2017. He receives a weekly salary of $130,000 from Crystal Palace FC.
20. Kenneth Omeruo – $3 Million
- Clubs: Standard Liege, Chelsea, ADO Den, Middlesbrough, Kasımpasa, Alanyaspor, Leganés
- National Team: Nigeria
- Position: Defender
Kenneth Omeruo signed for Chelsea FC in January 2012. But since then, he has never played for the English Premier League side.
Instead, Chelsea FC has only loaned him to other clubs. In 2014, Kenneth Omeruo extended his contract with Chelsea for three years. Then he finally joined Leganes in Spain on a permanent deal in 2019.
As of today, Kenneth Omeruo has a net worth of $3 million.
Have your say
Do African footballers get paid enough to play football at the highest level?
Remarkable to see the rise of these African footballers, not just in their talent on the pitch but also in their success off it. Their dedication, perseverance, and skill have not only made them icons in the football world but also powerful symbols of inspiration and achievement across the continent. Here’s to celebrating their accomplishments and the positive impact they continue to have, both on and off the field. 💪🌍⚽
What about Steven Pienaar?
He played in Netherlands,Germany and England.
He played for Ajax Amsterdam,Borussia Dortmund,Tottenham Hotspur,Sunderland and had two stints with Everton.He is an Everton ambassador in Africa.His net worth is 10 million dollars.He is an Ajax Amsterdam U18 Assistant Coach.