Football as we know it is one of the most popular sports in the world with millions of people watching and following the game regularly and passionately supporting their favorite teams and players.
There are so many superstars in the beautiful game commanding mammoth figures at their club sides and seemingly ensuring stadiums are full as fans jostle to watch them perform every week.
Africa is certainly not left out of the class of those superstars in question with the continent boasting of a considerable number of stars playing at the very highest level of the game and raking huge amounts of money.
These African stars have managed to build their own brand identity and establish a level of reputation on a global scale just like their European counterparts, even though the figures are far from comparable with the Messis’ and Ronaldos’ of this world.
Pulse Sports reviews the richest African footballers strictly by net worth:
10. Idrissa Gueye – Net Worth (£30.4m)
Idrissa Gueye plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 giants Paris St Germain with his contract expiring in 2024. The 32-year-old Senegalese is one of the stars of the French giants.
Idrissa Gana Gueye is tenth on the list of the richest African players Pulse Côte d’Ivoire
The former Everton star is estimated to be earning around £5,148,000 per year playing for the Parisians.
Idrissa Gueye’s net worth is estimated to be around £30,430,400. He is a serial winner with PSG having won every trophy (bar the Champions League) with his team in Ligue 1.
9. Naby Keita – Net Worth (£32m)
Liverpool star Naby Keita is one of the stars of Jurgen Klopp’s side. The 27-year-old Guinean is an important member of Liverpool’s midfield and has won titles with the English giants since his move from RB Leipzig in 2018.
Liverpool star Naby Keita has been a peripheral player in a hugely successful Liverpool side Twitter
Keita earns around £6,760,000 at Liverpool and boasts an estimated net worth of around £31,912,400 to come in at ninth on the list of the richest African footballers by net worth.
8. Victor Moses – Net Worth (£36m)
Spartak Moscow star Victor Moses is the only Nigerian star on this list of the richest African footballers. With an estimated net worth of around £36,140,000, the former Chelsea man is one of the most successful Super Eagles stars at club level.
Victor Moses has found the most success under Antonio Conte, winning titles with the Italian manger both at Chelsea and at Inter Milan Imago
The 31-year-old Lagos-born attacker is unarguably a Super Eagles legend and was instrumental in Nigeria’s Africa Cup Of Nations triumph in 2013.
Moses has amassed a considerable amount of wealth throughout his club career. The wingback/winger won titles under the tutelage of Antonio Conte at Chelsea and at Inter Milan during the 2020/21 season when he reunited with the Italian manager.
7. Wilfried Zaha – Net Worth (£38.6m)
Crystal Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha is one of the most entertaining players in the Premier League. The 29-year-old Ivory Coast forward is undisputedly one of the best dribblers in the English football league.
Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha is not only one of the best dribblers but also one of the richest African footballers AFP
Zaha earns around £6,760,000 per year playing for The Eagles with an estimated net worth of around £38,688,000.
6. Joel Matip – Net Worth (£41.2m)
Liverpool defender Joel Matip is next on the list of the richest African footballers. The towering Cameroonian center-back is one of the most successful African defenders in English football.
Liverpool defender Joel Matip formed a winning centre-back partnership with Virgil van Dijk enroute to Champions League and Premier League titles Twitter
The 30-year-old Liverpool star retired from the Cameroonian national team due to personal reasons but is unarguably one of the best center backs in African football.
Matip earns around £7,280,000 per year playing for The Reds with an estimated net worth of around £41,236,000.
5. Kalidou Koulibaly – Net Worth (£44m)
Often regarded as the best center-back in modern-day African football, Koulibaly has managed to establish himself as one of the best players in his position.
The 31-year-old Napoli captain is one of the highest earners at his former Serie A side with an estimated net worth of around £44,408,000.
Kalidou Koulibaly’s salary and net worth is about to shoot up after the Senegalese defender completed a move to Premier League side Chelsea AFP
Koulibaly’s abilities is no secret as he was recently snapped up by Premier League giants Chelsea. A transfer that should see his salary and net worth increase considerably soon. He won the 2021 Africa Cup Of Nations with Senegal and dazzled at club level with his immense performances.
4. Riyad Mahrez – Net Worth (£49m)
Riyad Mahrez is one of the attacking stars of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City team. The majestic 31-year-old Algerian is one of the best dribblers in the Premier League, often dazzling supporters with his tricks and flicks.
Riyad Mahrez has won Premier league titles at Leicester City and Manchester City as well as the AFCON trophy and the CAF African Player of the Year Award Pulse Nigeria
Mahrez is one of the highest-earning African footballers earning around £8,320,000 per year playing for Man City with an estimated net worth of around £49,072,400. His mammoth wages at City earns him a Top 5 richest African footballers spot.
3. Sadio Mane – Net Worth (£53.6m)
Sadio Mane has managed to establish himself as one of the best wingers of his generation. The 30-year-old Senegalese star just completed a move to German giants Bayern Munich from Liverpool, having spent a trophy-laden seven-year career at the Merseyside club.
Sadio Mane completed a marquee transfer to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich ahead of the 2022/23 season pulse senegal
The electric Senegalese also led his national side to AFCON success earlier in 2021 and could be in serious contention for the 2022 Ballon d’Or awards after an impressive last season with Liverpool.
Mane enters the Top 3 richest African players list with a reported weekly salary of £250,000 at Bayern Munich. The former Southampton player is said to have an estimated net worth of around £53,643,200.
2. Mohamed Salah – Net Worth (£62m)
Salah is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world. The Liverpool talisman just penned a new contract with Liverpool that will keep him at Anfield until 2028.
The 30-year-old Egyptian star is currently the highest-earning African player in football and has won a host of individual accolades for himself.
Mohamed Salah penned a bumper new five-year contract with Liverpool to take him to second on the list of the richest African footballers Imago
Salah is also one of the wealthiest African players on the planet boasting an impressive collection of assets including luxury automobiles.
Mohamed Salah, who is also one of the most successful African footballers in English football, has won every trophy with Liverpool at club level and boasts an estimated net worth of £62,192,000.
1. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Net Worth (£66m)
Barcelona striker Aubameyang tops the African footballers’ rich list with an estimated net worth of £65,884,000.
The former Arsenal captain is one of the wealthiest African players of all time and was once the highest-earning footballer in the English Premier League.
Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, pictured arriving in a Lamborghini to training in April 2017, has a weakness for fast cars AFP
The 33-year-old Gabon skipper is also never shy of showing off his incredible wealth on his social media boasting of one of the most insane car collections among football’s elite.
The richest African footballer is also a former winner of the Premier League Golden boot and has also amassed a host of individual accolades having previously played for AC Milan, Saint-Etienne, Borussia Dortmund and most recently, Arsenal.
