Ghana tops list of African countries with most UEFA Champions League winners

The 2020-21 Champions League was won by Chelsea following a narrow 1-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday.

Michael Essien was part of the Chelsea side that won their first Champions League title in 2012, as well as Nigeria’s Mikel Obi and Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba and Solomon Kalou.

In Chelsea’s recent victory, Senegal international Edouard Mendy also played an instrumental role for the Blues.

Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez was unfortunate to find himself on the losing side, but there have been several African footballers who have won the Champions League.

That list, though, is topped by Ghana, who boast the most Champions League winners (5) and followed by Nigeria (3).

Ivory Coast and Cameroon also boast three players to have won the Champions League, while Morocco, Mali and Senegal have two each.

Below is the full list of African countries and their respective Champions League winners:

Ghana (5)

Abedi Pele – Olympique Marseille – 1992-1993

Ibrahim Tanko – Borussia Dortmund – 1996-97

Samuel Osei Kuffour – Bayern Munich – 2000-2001

Sulley Muntari – Inter Milan – 2009-2010

Michael Essien – Chelsea FC – 2011-2012

Nigeria – 3

John Obi Mikel – Chelsea FC – 2011-2012

Nwankwo Kanu – Ajax – 1994-1995

Finidi George – Ajax – 1994-1995

Ivory Coast – 3

Yaya Touré – FC Barcelona – 2008-2009

Didier Drogba – Chelsea FC – 2011-2012

Salomon Kalou – Chelsea FC – 2011-2012

Cameroon – 3

Geremi Njitap – Real Madrid – 1999-2000

Samuel Eto’o – FC Barcelona – 2005-2006, 2008-2009, Inter Milan, 2009-2010

Joel Matip - Liverpool FC, 2018 - 2019

Mali – 2

Djimi Traore – Liverpool FC – 2004-2005

Seydou Keita – FC Barcelona – 2008-2009, 2010-2011

Morocco – 2

Achraf Hakimi – Real Madrid FC – 2017-2018

Hakim Ziyech – Chelsea FC – 2020 - 2021

Senegal – 2

Sadio Mane – Liverpool FC – 2018 - 2019

Edouard Mendy – Chelsea FC – 2020 - 2021

The countries below have just one UEFA Champions League winner:

Zimbabwe – Bruce Grobbelaar – Liverpool FC – 1983-1984

Algeria – Rabah Madjer - FC Porto – 1986-1987

South Africa – Benni McCarthy – FC Porto – 2003-2004

Kenya – McDonald Mariga – Inter Milan 2009 – 2010

Egypt – Mohamed Salah – Liverpool FC – 2018 - 2019