Spanish sports outlet Marca has unveiled its top 100 footballers for the 2023-2024 season, with seven African players earning places on the prestigious list.
The rankings, determined by a jury of over 100 former players, journalists, and analysts, highlight the global influence of African talents in the sport.
Salah Leads Africa’s Best
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s talisman, has been crowned Africa’s Best Player, finishing with 1,211 points.
Salah’s remarkable consistency and goal-scoring prowess have made him a standout figure in world football once again.
Boniface and Lookman Represent Nigeria
Victor Boniface, Bayer Leverkusen’s Nigerian striker, emerged as the second-best African player on the list.
Boniface delivered an incredible debut season, amassing 21 goals and 10 assists in 34 games while helping his team secure the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and a Europa League final appearance.
Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman also made his mark, ranking 65th globally.
The Super Eagles forward continued his rise with stellar performances, including a career-defining hat-trick in the Europa League final.
Africa’s Top Seven
The full list of Africa’s representatives in Marca’s top 100 is as follows:
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt) – 31st
- Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen/Nigeria)
- Serhou Guirassy (VfB Stuttgart/Guinea)
- Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Nigeria)
- Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos/Morocco)
- Odilon Kossounou (Bayer Leverkusen/Ivory Coast)
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Al Qadsiah/Gabon)
Notable Absentees
Surprisingly, Simon Adingra, Achraf Hakimi, and Ronwen Williams, all nominees for the 2024 African Footballer of the Year, were omitted from the rankings.
Their exclusion has sparked debates among fans and analysts, highlighting the subjective nature of such evaluations.
