From the electric nights of the UEFA Champions League to the gritty battles of the Europa League, African footballers have consistently left their mark on the grandest stages of European club football. Whether it’s scoring crucial goals in finals, pulling off game-saving heroics, or bringing unmatched energy and versatility to their teams, these players have etched their names in history. In this article, we spotlight the African stars who have lifted Europe’s top trophies multiple times — and celebrate the rare elite who have conquered both competitions.
AFRICAN FOOTBALLERS WITH MULTIPLE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINS
Iconic Zimbabwean Goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar became the first African player to win Europe’s most prestigious club competition, doing so with Liverpool in the 1983/1984 season. Numerous African players have followed in his footsteps over the years, dominating in the UEFA Champions League. In this article, we take a look at Africans who have won the UCL on multiple occasions.
SAMUEL ETO’O – UCL X 3
The first and only footballer in history to win back-to-back European continental trebles, Samuel Eto’o was simply unplayable on his day. The Cameroonian striker set ridiculously high standards during his footballing career.
Eto’o was named the Man of the Match in the 2006 final against Arsenal FC, igniting FC Barcelona’s comeback victory and he bagged the UEFA Best Forward of the Year award at the end of that UCL campaign. He became the first African to score in multiple finals, having netted in the 2005/2006 and 2008/2009 finals against Arsenal and Manchester United respectively.
Following his exit from Barca on the back of his European continental treble triumph, he signed for Inter Milan and led the Italian Club to the Champions League final, notching an assist in the final as they defeated Bayern Munich to complete a historic European Continental treble; Inter’s first UCL title in 45 years. He capped off his incredible year with a record-extending fourth African Player of the Year award. He was the first African footballer to triumph in three Champions League finals and remains the only male African footballer to do so.
GEREMI – UCL X2
Geremi was one of those players you could always count on to get the job done. He was not the flashiest, most skillful, or most entertaining footballer on the pitch, but he was very reliable. Capable of playing as a right back, a defensive midfielder, or a right midfielder, his versatility and set-piece ability were an added bonus for his teams.
During his 3 year stint with Real Madrid, he picked up two Champions League Winners’ medals in the 1999/2000 and 2001/2002 seasons respectively. He famously netted against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the quarter finals in the 2000/2001 season; his away goal setting the tone for their comeback second leg victory as Los Blancos overcame The Bavarians to advance to the semi-final.
SEYDOU KEITA – UCL X 2
Kids nowadays have heard a lot about Barca’s iconic team of the 2010s. Names like Iniesta, Messi, Xavi, and Busquets are often associated with that team and rightly so. They can be pardoned if they are not familiar with the name Seydou Keita. The Malian midfielder was a vital cog in Pep Guardiola’s exceptional Barcelona side. The hardworking Malian midfielder excelled at making tackles and intercepting opposition attacks in midfield as well as in defence. He had a formidable aerial presence and a powerful shooting ability. During his hugely successful stint with The Blaugranas, he bagged two Champions League Winners’ medals in the 2008/2009 and 2010/2011 seasons against Manchester United on both occasions.
AFRICAN FOOTBALLERS WITH MULTIPLE UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE WINS
Ferocious Nigerian defender Taribo West became the first African to win the UEFA Europa League, snagging a large slice of history with Inter Milan in the 1998/1999 season. Numerous African footballers have replicated his efforts over the years across Europe’s top leagues. We take a look at Africans who have won the UEL on multiple occasions.
YASSINE BOUNOU – UEL X 2
The 2023 African Goalkeeper of the Year awardee has been a reliable figure between the sticks for Morocco, Sevilla FC, and Al-Hilal FC over the years. Without a doubt, the Moroccan remains one of the best African goalies in the goalkeeping business.
During his stint in Spain, his impressive performances in between the sticks for Sevilla helped add to their well-stacked cabinet of Europa League trophies. The first of his two titles came in the 2019/2020 season as Sevilla defeated Inter Milan in the final. His penalty-saving heroics helped Sevilla see off Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma team, saving two penalties in the penalty shoot-out. He was deservedly named the Man of the Match in the final. He was named in the UEFA Europa League Team of the Season in both title-winning campaigns.
STEPHEN MBIA – UEL X 2
Following a disastrous spell in English football with Queens Park Rangers, he escaped to Sevilla FC, initially on loan before the deal was made permanent at the end of the season. At Sevilla, he rediscovered his form and became a key figure in the club’s European success.
The Cameroonian midfielder bounced back from his disappointments in the English League to claim back to back Europa League titles with Sevilla in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons respectively. He was indispensable in their 2013/2014 triumph. His backheel goal gave them the advantage going into the second leg and his headed goal in additional minutes of the second leg fixture helped Sevlla defeat Valencia, booking a spot in the final.
He converted his penalty in the penalty shootout to help Sevilla defeat Benfica in the Europa League final, earning a deserved spot in the Europa League Team of the Year. He helped them secure consecutive Europa League titles the following season, earning a spot in the Europa League Team of the Year, and departed for Trabzonspor at the end of the season.
VICTOR MOSES – UEL X 2
The Nigerian winger picked up his first Europa League winners medal in his maiden season in London, playing 10 games and netting four goals en route to the title. He reserved his clinical performances for the knockout fixtures, netting across both legs for Chelsea in their quarter-final and semi-final ties respectively. He was a 66th-minute substitute as Chelsea defeated Benfica in the final to bag their maiden Europa League title. Despite being on loan in the second half of the season, he received a winners’ medal for featuring for Chelsea in the first half of Chelsea’s 2018/2019 Europa League title-winning campaign.
FREDERIC KANOUTE – UEL X 2
Unarguably, Kanoute enjoyed the best years of his career in the Spanish top flight with Sevilla.
A two time Europa League winner with the Andalusian side, he picked up back to back Europa League titles in the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 seasons respectively, finishing as the joint 2nd highest scorer in the 2005/2006 campaign. Famed for his ability to turn up on the biggest occasions, Kanoute netted in both finals too. Notably, the Malian striker spearheaded their triumph in 2007, netting across the two legs against former employers Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter finals. His heroics in the final helped Los Rojiblancos secure the title, netting to put them ahead in extra time and burying the first penalty in the shootout to crown them as Champions.
YOUSSEF EN-NESYRI – UEL X 2
Alongside his compatriot Yassine Bounou, Youssef En-Nesyri bagged two Europa League winners’ medals in Sevilla’s title winning campaigns in the 2019/2020 and 2022/2023 seasons respectively. Signed in January 2020 from Leganes, he fought his way into the starting line up. he He made a late substitute appearance as Sevila defeated Inter Milan in the 2019/2020 final. He played a prominent role in Los Rojiblancos’ triumph in the 2022/2023 season.
The Moroccan striker’s brace in the quarter-finals helped Sevilla see off Manchester United. He opened the scoring in the first leg of their seminal final fixture against Juventus as they ultimately triumphed against the Old Lady in the second leg to book a spot in the finals. He played the entirety of the final as Sevilla defeated AS Roma on penalties to claim a record-extending seventh Europa League title.
AFRICAN FOOTBALLERS WITH WINS IN BOTH COMPETITIONS
Globally, only a select category of footballers have laid claim to both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League in the course of their football career. Nwankwo Kanu and Mikel John Obi are the only African players to have won both trophies.
NWANKWO KANU
Papilo, a member of a hugely successful Ajax team in the 90s, bagged his first and only UCL trophy in the 1994/1995 season, finishing as runners-up the following season. Alongside Finidi George, he became the first Nigerian footballer to win Europe’s biggest club competition. Papilo moved to Inter Milan in the summer of 1996 and picked up a winners’ medal at the end of the 1997/1998 season as Inter Milan defeated Lazio 3-0 in the final.
MIKEL JOHN OBI
Mikel John Obi had a storied career in the blue colours of Chelsea. The Nigerian midfielder played a starring role as The Blues clinched their maiden UEFA Champions League trophy in the 2011/2012 season. His exemplary performance against Bayern Munich in the final helped Chelsea withstand Bayern’s relentless attacks, ultimately defeating them on penalties to win Europe’s biggest club competition for the first time in their history. Mikel helped The Blues win their maiden UEFA Europa League title the following season as Chelsea became the first club to hold two major European titles simultaneously.
