[List] Eto’o leads African winners of UEFA Champions League gong

The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is by far the most prestigious club competition across the world. By virtue of its popularity and reach.

Beyond these two reasons, the pool of players who get to participate adds to the vibe as people across the world support nationals from their country who play in the league.

The most recent nation to celebrate is Morocco, whose defender, Achraf Hakimi, won with Spanish giants Real Madrid over Liverpool in Kiev on May 26.

If Real had lost, Africa would have had two winners in Mohamed Salah of Egypt and Sadio Mane of Senegal – both were crucial in Liverpool’s qualification to the final.

Facts about Africa’s UCL glory:

• Number of African countries that can boast of Winners = Nine
• African winners’ medals so far = 20
• Number of players to have won it = 16
• Highest individual winner = Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon with three medals
• Highest winners in a match = Four players with Chelsea in 2011-2012 season – Drogba, Mikel Obi, Kalou and Essien.
• Country with highest number of winners: Ghana (Four) Pele, Kufuor, Muntari, Essien
• Region with highest medals = West Africa (13), North Africa (2), Central Africa (3), Southern Africa (2), East Africa (0).

Below is a list of winners (countries, clubs and season) in descending order:

1 – Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe) : Liverpool FC, 1983-1984
2 – Rabah Madjer (Algeria) : FC Porto, 1986-1987
3 – Abedi Pelé (Ghana) : Olympique de Marseille, 1992-1993
4 – Finidi George (Nigeria) : Ajax, 1994-1995
5 – Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) : Ajax, 1994-1995
6 – Samuel Kuffour (Ghana) : FC Bayern Munich 2000-2001
7 – Benni McCarthy (South Africa) : FC Porto, 2003-2004
8 – Djimi Traoré (Mali) : Liverpool FC, 2004-2005
9 – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) – FC Barcelona, 2005-2006, 2008-2009, Inter Milan, 2009-2010
10 – Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire) : FC Barcelona, 2008-2009
11 – Seydou Keita (Mali) : FC Barcelona, 2008-2009, 2010-2011
12 – Sulley Muntari (Ghana) : Inter Milan, 2009-2010
13 – John Obi Mikel (Nigeria) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012
14 – Michael Essien (Ghana) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012
15 – Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012
16 – Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012
17 – Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) : Real Madrid FC, 2017-2018