In a 2020 interview with Diario Marca, Samuel Eto’o was asked about FC Barcelona’s reliance on Lionel Messi that season. The African legend responded: ”It’s normal. Leo is the best player in the world and the best of all time. I’d always pick the team asking Messi who he wanted next to him, in his team. Every team in the world wants Messi. Then, you have to give him support. He can’t run like a 25-year-old kid anymore, although he does sometimes.”

Samuel Eto’o had the opportunity to play with players like Ronaldinho, Andres Iniesta, Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry but still decided to choose Lionel Messi as the best player of all time. Samuel Eto’o thrived even under Pep Guardiola, despite it being his final season at Barcelona before the Catalan coach requested his transfer.

The African legend had the opportunity to play alongside Lionel Messi, delivering an outstanding season with 36 goals and 8 assists in 52 appearances. After departing Barcelona, he continued to shine at Inter Milan, where he accomplished the extraordinary feat of winning the treble. In doing so, he became the only player in history to achieve this milestone with two different clubs in consecutive seasons.

Despite his historic run at FC Barcelona, Samuel Eto’o also played for Real Madrid

Samuel Eto’o took his first step into European soccer through Real Madrid, joining the club in the 1996-97 season from Kadji SA of the Cameroonian league. However, he initially played for Real Madrid B, the club’s second team, and was subsequently loaned out three times, to CD Leganes, RCD Espanyol, and RCD Mallorca.

Before being permanently transferred to Mallorca in 2004, Eto’o managed to make just seven appearances for Real Madrid’s first team but never had the chance to complete a full season with the club.

“I don’t have any problem with Real Madrid, they gave me the opportunity to dream of being a footballer, I didn’t have the chance to play at Real Madrid. I had success elsewhere and the Cule feeling came through,” stated Samuel Eto’o to Diario Marca.

Even though he did not have the chance to play for Real Madrid’s first team, Eto’o expressed gratitude to the club for giving him the opportunity to begin his career in European soccer. However, despite this appreciation, he openly declared himself a “Cule,” as he found success at FC Barcelona, where he was given the platform to showcase his pure talent on one of the best teams in the world.

Now coaching at Fenerbahçe, Mourinho named an African forward he believes deserved the honor—though it wasn’t Chelsea legend Didier Drogba or Liverpool star Mo Salah. Mourinho’s pick is former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o.

“It’s hard to understand how Samuel Eto’o never won the Ballon d’Or, given his remarkable career,” Mourinho told Cameroon Radio in an interview. “Samuel played for top teams in the world’s best leagues. He scored a massive amount of goals and succeeded across different leagues,” he added.

“He played in three Champions League finals, won two with Barcelona, scoring in both, and then won another with Inter Milan along with several league titles,” Mourinho continued. “He was the best forward in the world for many years, and I believe he deserved a Ballon d’Or. But it’s beyond our control.”

Mourinho’s admiration for Samuel Eto’o

Samuel Eto’o retired from professional soccer in 2019 and now serves as President of the Cameroon Football Federation. Reflecting on the Cameroonian’s illustrious career, Mourinho spoke highly of Eto’o’s character both on and off the field.

Mourinho and Eto’o crossed paths at Inter Milan, where they famously won the treble, and again briefly at Chelsea. Mourinho’s impression of Eto’o is enduring: “He was nearly unstoppable on the field, but his qualities as a man are just as important. He was a great teammate and would do whatever it took for his team to win,” Mourinho said.

“Samuel was a phenomenal player. The most important thing for any player is how they contribute to their team’s victories, and Samuel was an outstanding individual talent who always put the team first,” Mourinho added. “He always gave everything for his team’s success. He’s a trophy winner. He won it all and had a phenomenal career.”

Eto’o’s remarkable career

The remarkable career of Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o truly supports Mourinho’s statements. Eto’o’s list of accolades is impressive, headlined by four UEFA Champions League titles, a feat made even more remarkable because he won with three different clubs: Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan.

At Barcelona, Eto’o also captured three La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey, adding another Spanish Cup title during his tenure with Mallorca. Eto’o’s international success with Cameroon was equally impressive, with two Africa Cup of Nations victories and a gold medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics showcasing his contributions on the global stage.

The 41-year-old former Inter Milan striker got in the face of a young man who held a camera in his hand. Eto’o was filmed saying something as the young man backtracked and Eto’o was restrained by a group of people.

Eventually Eto’o broke away and violently pushed and kicked the man in the chest making him fall back. Eto’o has yet to explain what happened.

Why did Eto’o kick fan at World Cup?

At the moment all Eto’o has stated about the incident is that he “was out of his mind”. Eto’o is an ambassador of the Qatar 2022 World Cup and is currently in charge of the Cameroonian soccer federation.

At the national team level Eto’o played 118 times for Cameroon scoring 56 goals. Eto’o is a veteran of the 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

This weekend, Los Cules and Los Blancos will add another chapter to their rivalry when they face off at Camp Nou. To watch the game in the US, tune in to ESPN+. It looks like one of the most evenly-matched Clasicos in a long time.

But, even though we’re talking about one of the most intense rivalries on Earth, the strong antagonism hasn’t prevented players from wearing both jerseys. Here, let’s break down some of the best to have worn both uniforms.

Ronaldo

The Brazilian legend has spent only a season in Barcelona but it was one to remember, as he scored an impressive 34 goals in 37 league matches. Ronaldo, who also played both for Inter and AC Milan, joined Real Madrid in 2002. He won four titles and racked up 104 goals in 177 appearancesin his fiveseasonsinthe Spanish capital.

Luis Figo

Joining the rivals could be seen as a betrayal and fans may never forgive you for that. If not, ask Luis Figo, whose controversial departure from Barca to sign for Real Madridmade him lose all the love from Los Cules. He went on to be part of Los Galacticos, winning the UEFA Champions League.

Bernd Schuster

But Figo wasn’t the only one who joined the rivals directly from Barcelona. Bernd Schuster did it before him in 1988. His career was full of controversial situations but also of success, as he enjoyed great results both with Barca and El Merengue.

Luis Enrique

Beforemaking his way into Barcelona’s history books, Luis Enrique played for Real Madrid between 1991 and 1996. He won three titles and scored23 times in 241appearances, but those numbers would get much better in Barca. Five trophies and115 goals in 333 matchesmade him a fan favorite, a love he renewed many years later as manager. At the helm of a team with the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez (the famous MSN) he delivered nine trophies.

Samuel Eto’o

His spell in Real Madrid may have gone unnoticed, but Samuel Eto’o played in the Spanish capital before shining at Barcelona. He played only seven games without scoring, and many years later, after a fantastic rise in Mallorca, he chose Los Cules over Madrid.

Michael Laudrup

Another player who switched Barca for Real Madrid, Michael Laudrup thrived at Camp Nou buthis bad relationship with Johan Cruyff made him leave the club in 1994, five years later after joining Los Cules from Juventus.

Javier Saviola

Following a promising breakthroughin River Plate and Argentina‘s U20s, Barcelona acquired Javier Saviola, who amassed 74 goals in 172 appearances in his four seasons at the club. But, after loan spells in Monaco and Sevilla, he didn’t renew with Barca and joined Real Madrid, where he spentonly two seasons and scored five goals in 31 appearances.

Gheorghe Hagi, Julen Lopetegui, Robert Prosinecki, Alfonso Perez, Nando Muñoz, Luis Milla, Albert Celades, Daniel Garcia, and Ricardo Zamora were other players who worn both shirts. A current Real Madrid star was close to joining Barcelona as well, but that didn’t happen and he will face them this weekend in a game that will be broadcast by ESPN+ in the US.

Unfortunately, his journey has come to anabrupt endand he was unable tobid farewellto a packed Camp Nou. Messi is now in PSG ready to embark on his first adventure awayfrom Barcelona, who – again – were incapable ofsaying goodbyeto a legend in the way he deserved.

Messi’s departure was probably the most hurtful one for Barca’s fans, but they’ve gone throughsimilar situations before. Here, we’ll take a look at the 13 renowned players who have left Barcelona on bad terms.

Lionel Messi

The day we thought we would never see has finally happened, Lionel Messi has left Barcelona to join another European club. Sadly, his problems with the previous board over the last few years proved costly and, even though Joan Laporta seemed to be on better terms with him, things weren’t turned around. Only a year ago, the soccer world was in shock as Messi wanted out amid a terrible relationship with Josep María Bartomeu.

Ayear left on his contract prevented him from leaving for free, but that situation had a big impact. He didn’t sign a new dealand, once a free agent, La Liga‘s regulations forbid Barca from affording his new contract. He left better than he would have done it in 2020, but the way in which he left is still sour after everything he had lived in Barcelona.

Luis Suárez

Messi’s desire to leave in 2020 didn’t come out of the blue. He wasn’t the only one to experience a bad moment at the club, if not ask Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan striker has scored 195 goals in six years at Barcelona and he could have left as the superstar he was.

Instead, a phone call was all he got. Ronald Koeman didn’t seem to have him on his plans but the situation could have been handled differently. Suárez didn’t take long to prove Barca were wrong on this one and went on to win La Liga 2020/21 with Atletico Madrid. Later, he reflected on his exit and stated that Koeman “didn’t have much personality.”

Samuel Eto’o

Samuel Eto’o‘s stint with Barcelona was one to remember, but things haven’t ended well. The Cameroonian star had an impactful first season in 2008/09when Pep Guardiola‘s boys won the treble in great fashion.

He had even scored the opening goal in the Champions League final, but Guardiola wouldn’t count on him for next season. Eto’o has even stated he loved Pep as a coach, but not as a person, and had a fantastic season with Inter Milan in 2009/10.

Rivaldo

The Brazilian megastar left Barcelonaafter five years in 2002 when Louis van Gaal returned to Camp Nou. Rivaldo had previously played under the Dutchman from 1997 to 2000, but their relationship was never great.

The Ballon d’Or winner had even said that he left because of van Gaal:“I don’t like him and I’m sure he doesn’t like me either.”Rivaldo was still in his prime after winning the 2002 World Cup with Brazil and joined AC Milan.

Luis Figo

When we talk about players who left Barcelona on bad terms, Luis Figo will probably be atop the list. The Portuguese star was an idol but the love was over when he joined lifelong rivals Real Madrid right away.

Amid back-and-forth with the Cules’board, Figo signed for the Merengues in 2000 and was part of the Galacticos era. From then on, there was no turning back and the Blaugranashave never forgiven him.

Ronaldinho

One of the most beloved players in world soccer, the Brazilian sensation was a complete standout during his time with Barcelona. Ronaldinho arrived at Camp Nou in 2003 and helped the club tasting continental glory three years later.

However, things have taken a differentdirection by 2008, when his relationship with the board was broken and his future at Barca seemed over. Ronaldinho then joined AC Milan, but a few years later he confessed that Pep Guardiola asked him to stay.

Hristo Stoichkov

Another player who left the club on bad terms with Louis van Gaal, Hristo Stoichkov played for Barcelona from 1990 to 1998 – although he spent a year on loan at Parma in 1995/96, during Johan Cruyff‘s era at Barca’s helm.

The Bulgarian star decided to end his contract with the Cules in 1998, blaming Louis van Gaal for not playing for more than a year. He didn’t leave on good terms with Josep Luis Nuñez, Barca’s president at that time, either.

Ronaldo

Ronaldo‘s departure from Barcelona was quite shocking. He made agreat impressionin his first season at Camp Nou, scoring an amazing 47 goals in 49 games in 1996/97, when he was only 20 years old.

They failed to get hold of him, though, as Inter Milan paid his buyout clause. Only five years later, Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid and joined the famous Galacticos in a huge blow for the Cules.

Michael Laudrup

Michael Laudrup was part of the so-called ‘Dream Team‘ under Johan Cruyff’s guidance. His best days were at Barcelona, where he landed in 1989 as the Dutchman was keen on signing him. He went on to win four leagues and the club’s first European Cup, but things didn’t end well.

While his relationship with Cruyff and the boardwasn’t good anymore, Romario‘s arrival in 1993 didn’t help either, as Barca neededto offload one of their foreign players.In 1994, Laudrup joined Real Madrid in another shocking move for the Catalans.

Romario

Romario had a great but short stint at Camp Nou. He signed for Barcelona in 1993, scoring an impressive 32 goals in 47 games in his first season, but didn’t last much longer as he and Johan Cruyff didn’t getalong anymore.

In January 1995, after winning the 1994 World Cup with Brazil, Romario returned home to join Flamengo. Cruyff mentioned that he couldn’t care less if he was unhappy and wanted to leave.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan signed for Barcelona in 2009 due to Pep Guardiola’s eagerness to land him while Samuel Eto’o was packing his bags. By the end of the season, however, Ibrahimovic was no longer a priority for Pep.

The Swedish star was replaced in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals against Inter when Barca were trailing, and that series seemed to end hisgood relationship with the Spanish manager. Zlatan never returned to the starting XI after Barcelona’s elimination and joined Milan in 2010.

Bernd Schuster

Bernd Schuster spent eight years in Barcelona before signing for Real Madrid in 1988. That was just one of the many controversial episodes in his career. Schuster had been in the eye of the storm for abandoning the 1986 European Cup final on a taxi after being replaced.

Despite being one of the Cules best players at the time, he left the club on such bad terms that he didn’t mind joining the rivals. In an interview with El Pais, however, he stated that he wasn’t looking for revenge, that he was even grateful for his eight seasons with Barca.

Diego Maradona

Barcelona were the first European club to sign the Argentine legend after the 1982 World Cup. Diego Maradona proved his talent with the Blaugrana and won three titles, but his two seasons were hit by injuries and illness.

In1982/83 Diego was ruled out for about four months with hepatitis. The following season didn’t begin well for him either, as he was sidelined for another three months after Andoni Goikoetxea‘s ugly challenge. His tenure at Barcelona ended with the infamous ‘Battle of Bernabeu‘, the brawl in the1983 Copa del Rey finalbetween the Cules and Athletic Bilbao.

They have won 74 trophies domestically: 26 in the La Liga, 30 in the Copa del Rey, 13 in the Supercopa de España, 3 in the Copa Eva Duarte, and 2 in the Copa de la Liga, as well as becoming the holder of the above four tournaments.

The Catalan club havewon 20 European and world trophies in foreign club football: 5 UEFA Champions League titles, an unprecedented 4 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, a joint-record of 5 UEFA Super Cup, a historic 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and 3 FIFA Club World Cups.

20. Mariano Martin – 71 goals

Mariano Martin started his career at a Catalan club named Sant Andreu in 1936. He stayed there for three years before being noticed by Barcelona in 1939.

Having spent nine years at Barca, he appeared in 81 official games and scored 71 goals in all competitions. Martin retired in 1952, playing for his first club, Sant Andreu. He died on September 9, 1998, at the age of 78.

19. Javier Saviola – 72 goals

Before moving to Real Madrid in 2007, Saviola was widely known as a prolific Barcelona forward. He joined the Catalans from River Plate in 2001. The Argentine was just 19 when he moved to La Liga.

During his six-year stay, Saviola managed 72 goals in 172 appearances in all competitions. He hung up his boots in 2016, after spending the season at his boyhood club, River Plate.

18. Julio Salinas – 73 goals

Salinas is a product of the youth academy of Athletic Bilbao. He spent four years in their first team. In 1988, he joined Barcelona. There he met other Basque players, such as Jose Ramon Alexanko, Jose Mari Bakero, Txiki Begiristain, and Ion Andoni Goikoetxea.

In 198 games across all competitions, Salinas scored 73 goals for Barcelona. He retired in 2000, having spent the previous two seasons at Deportivo Alaves.

17. Estanislau Basora – 74 goals

Basora started his soccer adventure at the Catalan club Manresa in 1943. He stayed there for three seasons, before moving to Barcelona. During his first season at the Blaugrana, he only played one game, but he cemented his starting spot in the next campaign.

Estanislao, as he was known, featured in 203 official games for Barca, and scored 74 official goals. He stayed at Barcelona for 12 years, despite spending one season on loan at Lleida. The former Spanish forward retired in 1958, as he lived a long life until. He died on March 16, 2012, aged 85.

16. Txiki Begiristain – 78 goals

Txiki Begiristain started his career at Real Sociedad, as he is their youth product. In 1982, he earned the first-team call-up. He stayed there for six years, helping the Basque side finish runners-up before leaving for Barcelona.

From 1988 to 1995, he featured in 297 games and netted 78 times for Barcelona. Begiristain opted to end his career with Urawa Red Diamonds in 1999.

15. Ronald Koeman – 83 goals

Ronald Koeman took the high road on the way to Barcelona. He played for Groningen, Ajax, and PSV in the Eredivisie, before being noticed by the Spanish giants in 1989. The Dutchman rejoined his former Ajax coach, Johan Cruyff at Barca.

In 254 total appearances, Koeman scored 83 official goals for the Blaugrana in all competitions. He closed out his playing career in 1997 with Feyenoord. He is the current Barcelona head coach.

14. Xavi – 85 goals

Xavi is one of the many players on this list who graduated from the famous La Masia Academy. The ex-Spanish midfielder spent six years at the Barca youth teams, before being called up for the first team in 1998.

During his 17-year stay at the Camp Nou, Xavi scored 85 goals in 767 games across all competitions. He retired in 2019 at Al Sadd. He is the current head coach of the Qatari side.

13. Jose Mari Bakero – 94 goals

Just like Txiki Begiristain, Jose Mari Bakero was also part of the Real Sociedad youth academy. He debuted for the first team in 1980. It took him eight years to join Barcelona.

At Barca, he featured in 339 official games, marking 94 official goals. Bakero retired in 1997, one year after leaving the Catalan side for Veracruz.

12. Ronaldinho – 94 goals

Ronaldinho started his career in Brazil in 1998, but he stayed there until 2001 when he moved to Europe to join Paris Saint-Germain. Two years later, Barcelona snatched the Brazilian from the claws of Manchester United.

Until 2008, he managed 207 appearances for Barcelona and scored 94 total goals. Ronaldinho announced his retirement in 2015, with Fluminese being his final club.

11. Laszlo Kubala – 97 goals

Laszlo Kubala had a very colorful career, having played for a total of 10 clubs. In June 1950, Kubala joined Barcelona, and Ferdinand Daucík also became the Barcelona coach as part of the contract.

The Hungarian striker played in 119 games for Barcelona and he scored 97 goals in all competitions. Kubala retired from soccer in 1967 with Toronto Falcons. He died on May 17, 2020, aged 74.

10. Pedro – 99 goals

Pedro joined Barca’s youth academy in 2004, at the age of 17. He impressed most for Barcelona B, helping the side reach promotion from the Tercera Division. It was in 2008, four years later, when he got the first-team call-up.

The Spaniard scored 99 goals for the Blaugrana in 321 games. In 2015, he left Barca for Chelsea. His current side is Roma from Serie A.

9. Neymar – 105 goals

In May 2013, it was announced that Neymar would join Barcelona from Santos after the player was chased by many European top sides. The forward was unveiled in front of 56,500 fans at Camp Nou, a record attendance for a Brazilian player.

Neymar went on to score 105 total goals in 186 games for Barca in all competitions, before making a record move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. The 28-year-old is currently going through his fourth season at the Parc des Princes.

8. Luis Enrique – 108 goals

Enrique spent much of his playing days with the two largest clubs in Spain. He stayed at Real Madrid for five years from 1991 to 1996, and in summer 1996, he moved directly to Barcelona. The Barca fans were initially hesitant about him, but he quickly won their hearts.

From 1996 to 2004, Enrique played in 300 games for Barca, scoring 108 goals in all competitions. The Blaugrana were his final club in his career. He is the current head manager of the Spanish national team.

7. Hristo Stoichkov – 114 goals

Hristo Stoichkov played eight years in his homeland, for Hebros and CSKA Sofija. In 1990, he moved to Barcelona after five years with CSKA. He helped Barca win four La titles in a row between 1991 and 1994.

The Bulgarian scored 114 times in 249 games for Barcelona, marking two spells at the club, from 1990 to 1995 and from 1996 to 1998. He retired in 2003, at DC United.

6. Patrick Kluivert – 122 goals

Patrick Kluivert spent only one season away from the Netherlands, at Milan. Kluivert signed a four-year deal with Barcelona for a fee of in 1998, an hour before the transfer deadline. He was reunited with his mentor at Ajax, Louis van Gaal.

At Barca, the Dutchman stayed for six years, until 2004. He scored a total of 122 goals in 257 games during that period. Four years later, he retired from professional soccer, after spending one season at Lille. He is the current Barcelona director of youth soccer.

5. Rivaldo – 129 goals

Rivaldo spent his 28-year career playing for 14 different clubs and 15 spells in total. He left Deportivo La Coruna in 1997 to join Barca. The Blaugrana were tempted to sign Rivaldo ahead of Steve McManaman, as Sir Bobby Robson claimed the Brazilian will score more goals.

And indeed he did. During his five-year stay at the Camp Nou, Rivaldo brought in 129 goals in 199 games for Barcelona. He retired in 2019, at Mogi Mirim, at the age of 47.

4. Samuel Eto’o – 130 goals

Samuel Eto’o can also boast of a rich worldwide career, having featured for 13 different clubs in 14 spells. Despite the long talks with Real Madrid, Eto’o left Mallorca as the club’s all-time top national league scorer (54 goals) when he signed with Barcelona in 2004.

The ex-Cameroon striker went on to add 130 goals in 199 games he played while wearing the Barca jersey until 2009. Eto’o finally said ‘goodbye’ to professional soccer in 2019, at the age of 38, with Qatar SC.

3. Cesar Rodriguez – 195 goals

Barcelona snatched Rodriguez in 1939. The military service, however, saw him move the next year to Granada, and he spent two seasons there. In 1942, he returned to Barca and stayed there for 13 years.

The Spanish forward managed 195 goals with Barcelona in 290 total games. He retired in 1960 with Elche. Cesar Rodriguez died on March 1, 1995, at the age of 74.

2. Luis Suarez – 195 goals

Luis Suarez featured for Nacional, Groningen, Ajax, and Liverpool before making a dream transfer to Barcelona in 2014. He played in an attacking triangle alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar in his first season, helping the club secure a remarkable second treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League.

The Uruguay international stayed at Barca until summer 2020, making 283 total appearances and scoring 195 goals. He is currently defending the Atletico Madrid crest in La Liga.

1. Lionel Messi – 648goals

Messi has spent his entire career at Barcelona, after coming through the Blaugrana’s and Newell’s Old Boys’s youth ranks. In 2004, he made the breakthrough to the first team where he made his competitive debut at the age of just 17.

The Argentine has so far featured in 752games for the Blaugrana in all competitions and scored 648goals. The 33-year-old forward is going into his 16th season at the Camp Nou, and it’s safe to say that he’ll only keep improving his already-unreachable record.

A total of 62 teams have competed since La Liga’s inception. In addition to Real Madrid winning the title a record 34 times and Barcelona on the second with 26 league titles, nine other teams have been crowned champions.

The then-Athletic Bilbao player Telmo Zarra held the all-time highest goalscorerrecordin the tournament, up until 2014. Between 1945 and 1953, he was the Spanish league’s highest scorer for sixseasons.

21. Julio Salinas – 152 goals

Julio Salinas is a well-known name in La Liga, as he spent most of his career in Spain. He started his career in Athletic Bilbao, having gone through their youth academy. In 1981, he was added to the first team.

The Bilbao-born forward managed 152 total goals in 417 appearances in La Liga. 60 of them he scored in the Barcelona jersey, 31 for Atletico Madrid, 13 for Athletic Club, 24 for Sporting Gijon, and 12 for Deportivo Alaves and Deportivo La Coruna.

20. Luis Suarez – 156goals

Luis Suarez is tied with Julio Salinas for the 20th spot with 156goals scored. Suarez has played in two clubs in La Liga: Barcelona (2014-2020), and Atletico Madrid (2020-). He is the second active player in the top 20 list, with 203games in Spain so far.

The Uruguayan striker netted 147 times in 191 league games while wearing the Blaugrana jersey. In addition, he has fnine strikes in 13 matches for Atletico in the Spanish league so far.

19. Ferenc Puskas – 156 goals

Puskas is one of the several players on this list to have featured for only one La Liga club in their career. For Real Madrid, he made 180 total La Liga appearances in the period of eight years, from 1958 to 1966.

The Hungarian managed to convert 156 successful shots in La Liga. He died on November 17, 2006, aged 79.

18. Aritz Aduriz – 158 goals

Aduriz spent his entire career playing for Spanish top-tier and lower-tier clubs. He began his professional career at Aurrera in 1999. A year later, he joined Atletic Bilbao reserves, before being deployed in the first team in 2004.

Over the course of his career, he played for other Spanish clubs, but opted to return to Bilbao in 2012, and retire there in 2020. The 39-year-old managed to score 118 goals for Athletic, in addition to 23 for Mallorca, and 17 for Valencia in La Liga.

17. Luis Aragones – 160 goals

Aragones started his professional career at Getafe in 1957, but it only took one season for him to be noticed by Real Madrid. Unfortunately, he never got to debut for the first team of the Whites.

He netted a total of 160 total goals in La Liga for three different clubs. The Spanish midfielder scored 3 gaols for Oviedo, 33 for Real Betis, and 123 for Atletico Madrid. He died on February 1, 2014, aged 75.

16. Samuel Eto’o – 162 goals

Samuel Eto’o had a very colorful career, playing for 13 different clubs worldwide. With only three of them, he made his debut in La Liga. An interesting fact that people often find surprising is that he is a product of Real Madrid’s youth academy.

The ex-Cameroon international made three league appearances for Los Blancos but failed to register any goal. Thus, out of the 162 goals in Spain, Eto’o scored 108 for Barcelona, and 54 for Mallorca. He retired in 2019, atQatar SC.

15. Karim Benzema – 177goals

Karim Benzema is the second active player in the top 20 list. He joined Real Madrid in 2009, and he’s currently going into his 11th season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Frenchman didn’t always have it easy at Madrid, but he exploded after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure for Juventus in summer 2018. Benzema has played in 364La Liga games so far, managing to score 177 times.

14. Guillermo Gorostiza – 178 goals

Guillermo Gorostiza played for three Spanish clubs in total, but two of them were La Liga clubs. The Spanish forward started his career at Arenas Getxo in the far 1927.

He has scored 178 goals total La Liga goals split between two clubs: 72 for Valencia (from 1940 to 1945), and 35 for Athletic Bilbao (from 1929 to 1940). He died on August 23, 1966, aged 57.

13. Juan Arza – 182 goals

Arza is also one of the many players who spent all their playing career in Spain. However, out of the four clubs he played, at the time, only Sevilla were La Liga members.

For Sevilla, he made 349 league appearances from the period of1949 to 1959, scoring 182 goals in total. Arza died on July 17, 2011, aged 88.

12. David Villa – 185 goals

David Villa is a well-known La Liga and a worldwide legend. He began his pro career at Sporting Gijon B in 2000, before being included in the first team the next season. He featured in four top-division clubs.

For Valencia, he scored 107 league goals, in addition to 33 at Barcelona, 32 at Real Zaragoza, and 13 at Atletico Madrid. He retired in 2020, after spending the 2019-20 season at Vissel Kobe.

11. Santillana – 186 goals

Santillana spent his whole career in Spain, playing for two clubs in total, with one of them in La Liga. The former Spanish striker started his soccer adventure at Racing Santander in 1970, but it only took a season for Real Madrid to snatch him.

From 1971 to 1988, Santillana made 461 league appearances and scored 186 goals for Los Blancos. In 1988, he called it quits after helping the team gather three titles in a row in his final three seasons.

10. Edmundo Suarez – 195 goals

Edmundo Suarez began his career in Athletic Bilbao in 1935 but was soon shipped off after failing to leave a mark at the club in just one season.

From 1939 to 1950, he featured for Valencia, making 210 La Liga appearances and scoring 186 goals. In his final season, he played for Alcoyano, where he netted nine times in 21 league games. He died on December 14, 1978, aged 62.

9. Pahiño – 210 goals

Pahiño started his professional career at Celta in 1943. He spent five seasons there and joined Real Madrid in 1948. He played for four total clubs but made at least one La Liga appearance for three of them.

The Vigo-born former midfielder had a terrific record of 111 goals for Real Madrid in 124 games, in addition to 57 strikes at Celta, and 46 at Deportivo La Coruna. He died on June 12, 2012, aged 89.

8. Quini – 219 goals

Quini started his career in Spain at Ensidesa in 1967, before moving to Sporting Gijon just a year later. He played for four Spanish teams, in La Liga and lower leagues.

In addition, he featured for Barcelona, where he made 100 appearances. That way, he reached a total of 448 La Liga games, where he scored 219 goals.

7. Cesar Rodriguez – 223 goals

Cesar Rodriguez began his career at Barcelona in 1939, and he spent 16 years of his playing career at the Catalan club. The Barcelona-born forward played for a total of six Spanish clubs, four of which were competing in La Liga.

Rodriguez netted 190 goals in 287 games for Barca, 5 for Elche, 23 for Granada, and 3 for Cultural Leonesa. He died on March 1, 1995, aged 74.

6. Alfredo Di Stefano – 227 goals

Alfredo Di Stefano began his soccer path at River Plate in Argentina in 1945. After he managed to make his name in his homeland and Colombia for Milionarios, it was announced that he would be joining La Liga side Real Madrid in 1953.

During his 11-year stay in Madrid, from 1953 to 1964, Di Stefano reached 282 league matches, scoring 216 goals in total. He died on July 7, 2014, aged 88.

5. Raul – 229 goals

The famous Real Madrid legend Raul makes his way into the top 5 La Liga all-time top goalscorers. Despite featuring for both Madrid youth clubs, it was Real who introduced to first-team soccer in 1994.

Raul spent 16 years at the Santiago Bernabeu, filled with all sorts of collective and individual accolades and trophies. He made 550 total league appearances for the Whites and scored on 229 occasions.

4. Hugo Sanchez – 234 goals

Hugo Sanchez made his name in Mexico while featuring for UNAM (Pumas), from 1976 to 1981. That summer, he was shipped off to Atletico Madrid, where he stayed for four years. In addition, in 1985, Sanchez moved to their arch city rivals, Real Madrid.

He scored 164 goals in 2017 La Liga games for the Whites, in addition to 54 at Atletico Madrid, and 16 for Rayo Vallecano. The Mexican forward announced his retirement in 1997, after spending the season at Atletico Celaya.

3. Telmo Zarra – 251 goals

Zarra started his career at Erandio in 1939, but shortly after, Atletic Bilbao noticed him and signed him the next season. He has also played for another two Spanish clubs, but only Bilbao featured in La Liga.

With the Basque side, he netted 251 La Liga goal in 277 matches over the course of 15 years, from 1940 to 1955. He died on February 23, 2006, aged 85.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo – 311 goals

Cristiano Ronaldo is a youth product of Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. He made his name after leaving his homeland to play for Manchester United. Having won the Ballon d’Or the year before, Real Madrid lured him in 2009.

From 2009 to 2018, CR7 made 292 La Liga appearances for the Santiago Bernabeu side, marking 311 total goals. The 35-year-old forward is currently featuring for Juventus in Serie A.

1. Lionel Messi – 455goals

Messi has spent his entire career at Barcelona, after coming through the Blaugrana’s and Newell’s Old Boys’s youth ranks. In 2004, he was transferred to the first team where he made his competitive debut at the age of just 17.

The Argentine has so far featured in 502 La Liga games for Barca and scored 455goals. The 33-year-old forward is going into his 16th season at the Camp Nou, and it’s safe to say that he’ll only keep improving his already-unreachable record.

Now more than ever, African players aredominating the world’s top soccer leagues.You see them starring and leading in the best teams in the world and even though there’s still plenty of work to do, they’re finally getting the praise they deserve.

But it hasn’t always been this way. African players have had to work twice or three times as hard to some other players to pave the way for those who came after them. That’s whywe’re going to honor them by presenting to you thetop 30 best African players of the century.

30. Kalidou Koulibaly

Kalidou Koulibalyhas forged a reputation for being one of the toughest defenders to play against. He was a pivotal member of theSenegalteam that won the 2022 African Cup of Nations andChelseaforked out €38 million to get him from Napoli.

The center-back spent eight great seasons with the Serie A team before making the move to the Premier League. He is without any doubt one of the best defenders Africa has ever produced.

29. Victor Osimhen

Victor Osimhen‘s career proves how hard he had to work his way up to the spotlight. The striker couldn’t thrive at Wolfsburg, but he revitalized his career in Belgium and hasn’t taken the foot off the gas since then. Lille bagged an impressive €22m to get him in 2019, and only a year later Napoli made him their record signing for a €75m fee.

The Nigeria international lived up to his price tag, as he became a goal-scoring machine for the Italian club in their attempt to challenge for a long-awaited Scudetto title. Osimhen also won an U-17 World Cup and an U-23 African Cup with his country, who now enjoy him at the senior level. He’s still young and once it’s all said and done, we’ll probably be talking about one of the most prolific players in African soccer history.

28. Steven Pienaar

Steven Pienaarcouldn’t shy with South Africa’s national team but he had a long, steady, and successful career in Europe’s top leagues. His versatility as both a winger or attacking midfielder allowed him to thrive in Ajax, but his finest years came in Merseyside with Everton.

Pienaar had a great feel for the game and was an outstanding playmaker.He wasn’t much of a speedsterbut he should know how to be a disruptive player upfront. He played for Ajax Cape Town, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Everton, Tottenham, Sunderland, and Bidvest Wits before retiring in 2018.

27. Sofyan Amrabat

It’s safe to saySofyan Amrabatwas relatively unknown even for many soccer fans before the 2022 World Cup. But after Morocco’s impressive performance in Qatar, everyone was talking about the midfielder.

Amrabat struggled to make a name for himself at the club level, as he was sent on loan many times before he finally settled in at Fiorentina. However, he played a pivotal role in his nation’s unprecedented run to the third-place game in Qatar so he earned a spot on this list.

26. Benni McCarthy

Benni McCarthywas a bit of a pioneer when it came to putting African players on the map. He stood up as Africa’s best player in 1998 and never took his foot off the gas, making a name for himself as a prolific goal-scorer.

McCarthy is also the only South African player to ever win theUEFA Champions League,becoming a steady contributor for his mythical Porto squad. He then went on to join Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United before retiring with the Orlando Pirates.

25. Ahmed Hassan

Most fans won’t know whoAhmed Hassanis, but actually, he’s the all-time leader in caps for any national team in Africa. Therefore, there was no way he didn’t make this list.

Throughout his career, Hassan made 184 appearances for Egypt, scoring 33 goals for them. He spent most of his prime years in Turkey and Belgium and even played for Besiktas before joining Anderlecht. Also, he won four Cup of Nations with two AFCON‘Player of the Tournament’awards.

24. Riyad Mahrez

Riyad Mahrezbroke out as one of the world’s most impactful players during Leicester City’s historical Premier League championship run in 2016. However, it feels like staying with the Foxes for much longer really hurt his development as one of Europe’s rising stars.

Still, Mahrez went on to joinManchester Cityfor £60m, a record for an African player by then, proving just how incredibly talented he is in the offensive end. He’s a master at set-pieces and has a cannon for a leg, and he can play both near the sidelines or behind the striker. Besides, he became the African player with the most assists in Premier League history.

23. Mahamadou Diarra

Mahamadou Diarrawas the kind of player that could literally die for his team. He never hesitated to put his body on the line and challenge the most skilled players in the world with a tough tackle and a lot of physical play.

That fierceness and a great feel for defense even took him toReal Madridand won at least one trophy over a span of six years during his time in Europe. Also, he earned Mali’s captain band and made him one of the most feared midfielders in the world during his prime.

22. Vincent Enyeama

Vincent Enyeamawas Nigeria’s most-capped player ever with 101 appearances for the Eagles, until Ahmed Musasurpassed him. However, Enyeama was arguably the greatest African goalkeeper of all time, leading his nation to a historic triumph in the African Cup of Nations in 2013.

Enyeama also made a name for himself in the World Cups of 2010 and 2014, paving the way for him to join Lille for 8 years. Also, he was an outstanding penalty kicker andscored 20 career goals.

21. Alex Song

Alex Songis considered by some as one of the biggest busts in FC Barcelona history but truth to be told, he should’ve never joined the Blaugrana, as their ‘Tiki-taka’ passing offense just didn’t favor his style. He was more of a stopper, a physical player that thrived off his defense, not with the ball on his feet.

Still, Song thrived during his six-year tenure with Arsenal, establishing himself as a steady part of Arsene Wenger’s starting XI. He won oneLa Liga with Barcelonaand made it totwo AFCON tournaments with Cameroon.

20. Bono

Bono took the spotlight in 2020, when he shone for Sevilla to help them win another UEFA Europa League title during the pandemic. But two years later he wrote an even greater story with his country.

Yassine Bounou was Morocco’s hero in their trip to the third-place game at Qatar 2022, saving crucial penalties in the shootout against Spain as well as keeping a clean sheet vs. Portugal in the quarterfinals.

19. Gervinho

Early on his career, everybody thoughtGervinhowas going to become one of the best wingers in the world. He was incredibly fast, and his dribbling skills were just off the charts, but his infamous tenure with Arsenal was a major letdown.

He went on to dominate in Serie A with Roma and Parma and he always came through forLes Elephantswhen he represented Ivory Coast, helping take some pressure off ofDidier Drogba’s shoulders.

18. Frederic Kanouté

Kanouté is the first player born outside of Africa to win the African Player of the Year award. He’s a prolific scorer that became Sevilla legend for his contributions to win a couple ofUEFA Europa Leaguetitles, as well as two Copa del Rey.

Frederic scored 89 goals for the Spanish side over a 6-year tenure before joining Beijing Gouan. Also, he representedMaliat the international level and scored 23 goals in 39 appearances for them.

17. Geremi

Geremiplayed a bit ahead of his time. I mean, most modern-day coaches would love to have him on their ranks right now as a versatile defender that could play both as a center-back or right in the center of the pitch.

He was classy and reliable and did all the dirty work without being dirty at all. That’s why he was a part of that legendary Cameroon squad that won the Olympic gold in 2000 and a couple of AfricaCupof Nations. He also played for Chelsea andwon twoChampions League titleswith Real Madrid, although with a lesser role.

16. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangwill probably be remembered as one of Africa’s greatest scorers of all time once it’s all said and done. However, most people will always question him for joining Arsenal instead of Manchester United or Real Madrid when he finally decided to leave Borussia Dortmund. He eventually joinedBarcelona, but not at the club’s best days.

Aubameyang is a speedster that can play on both flanks of the pitch, as an offensive midfielder, or as the main striker. He can literally do it all in the offensive end and score at a high clip, but lack of international success with Gabon and his clubswill always hurt his resume. His downfall atChelseawon’t help him either.

15. John Obi Mikel

John Obi Mikelis the true definition of hard work and effort. He did have his fair share of criticism and mockery for a couple of shenanigans during his tenure with Chelsea, but he really took things up a notch whenever he wore the Nigerian jersey.

Mikel was a tough defender that could also take the ball upfront as a box-to-box midfielder when he was at his best. Regardless of his mistakes, he cemented himself as a steady part of Chelsea’s starting XI, winning 9 titles in 11 years with the Blues,including one UEFA Champions League.

14. Seydou Keita

Seydou Keitacould’ve been one of the best midfielders in the world if he didn’t play for Barcelona. Don’t get me wrong, he always excelled for them and helped them win 14 titles, but their crowded midfield didn’t allow him to thrive and be a consistent starter on Pep Guardiola’s team.

Keita could play everywhere on the center of the pitch, from defensive midfielder to right outside of the box. He had a sweet touch and great court vision, as well asan underrated ability as a finisher.

13. Achraf Hakimi

Real Madrid overlookedAchraf Hakimi before he blossomed into one of the greatest right-backs on Earth. The Moroccan defender found the playing time he didn’t have in Spain at Inter Milan, with whom he won a long-awaited Serie A title before joiningPSGfor €68m, a record-breaking deal for a right-back.

He is still young and has many years to continue cementing a legacy, but he has already made sure to be in Morocco’s history forever by helping the nation reach a historic third-place in the 2022 World Cup.

12. Yakubu

Yakubuwas an unstoppable force of nature, physically speaking. He could outrun a jaguar, wrestle a bull, and jump higher than a kangaroo. That’s why he thrived off demolishing opposing defenders with his speed, strength, and athleticism.

The Nigerian striker had an impressive career in the English Premier League, scoring 96 goalsin just 9 seasons after breaking out withMaccabi Haifain the 2002-03 UEFA Champions League.

11. Kolo Touré

Kolo Tourémay not have beenas elegant with the ball on his feet as his brother Yaya, but he was arguably equally as successful as him, spending his finest years with Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool as both a center-back or full-back.

Sadly for him, he was never able to lead his Cote D’Ivore elephants to the success everybody was hoping for in the World Cups, but he did help themwin the AFCON in 2015with his tough, physical defense.

10. Sadio Mané

Some may argue that even thoughMohamed Salahhas always beenthe biggest star,Sadio Manéwas actually Liverpool’s best player and they may be right. The main difference between both of them is that Mané hadembraced his role in the Red’s offense and was a way more unselfish scorer than the Egyptian.

Mané is one of the fastest players in the world. He can also play everywhere upfront and hurt you with both feet or with his head. He was one of the main reasons why the Redsmade it toback-to-back UCL finals, won one UCL and the English Premier League.He left forBayernin 2022, and nothing has been the same for Liverpool.

However, Mané’s legacy also goes beyond the field. Henever forgot his roots, constantly helpingthose in need every year. Besides, he led Senegalto an epic African Cup of Nations triumph in 2022.

9. Didier Zokora

Ivory Coast has seen quite some talent on their ranks through the past couple of decades but while most of them have come and gone,Didier Zokorahas always been there. As a matter of fact, he’s the team’s most-capped player with 123 appearances.

Zokora was one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe during his finest days. If he was covering man-to-man, you know even the most skilled players were going to be in for a rough day, as he could cover a lot of ground in no time withhis athleticism and speed.

8. Jay-Jay Okocha

Young fans just don’t have a clue as to how incredibly skilledJay-Jay Okochawas. I mean, if he were Brazilian, he would’ve played for Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Manchester United, I can tell you that for sure.

He was just so crafty and smooth with the ball on his feet that he was even named BBCAfrican Footballer of the Yeartwice. Sadly, he didn’t enjoy much success when it comes to winning trophies, but watching him was justa huge treat to the eyes.

7. Emmanuel Adebayor

Emmanuel Adebayorrefusedto call it a day and hang the cleats for a long time until he finally retired in Togo. One can understand why he extended his career so much, though, since he hadthe body of a 20-year old and could match up with younger defenders.

Adebayor is one of the most prolific goal-scorers in African history. He scored97 goals in the Premier League, including a 30-goal campaign with Arsenal. He also played for Metz, Monaco, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Tottenham, and Crystal Palace.

6. Nwankwo Kanu

Nwankwo Kanuwasn’t your average player. He was unpredictable to watch and quickly became one of Europe’s biggest entertainers, as well as one of Nigeria’s greatest players ever, leading them to the Olympic gold medal.

Kanu’s career took a major bump due to constant injuries but his talent was remarkable, as you could tell from his stint at Arsenal, where he scored30 goals in 119 caps, mostly coming off the bench.

5. Yaya Touré

Pep Guardiolawasn’t exactly fond ofYaya Touréand considered him little more than another defensive midfielder during his stint at Barcelona. Needless to say, Yaya proved him and everybody else wrong when he joined Manchester City and became one of the top 10 midfielders in the world.

Touré was the ultimate box-to-box player during his early years with the Citizens, evenscoring 20 goals in 2014. Also, he led Ivory Coast to the 2015 AFCON trophy. Sadly for him, he was pretty much forced to leave City when they appointed Guardiola as their manager.

4. Mohamed Salah

Nobody, not evenJürgen Klopp, ever thought that Mo Salah was going to break out as the generational scorer he turned into. He was always incredibly talented and a force worth being reckoned up front thanks to his speed and dribbling skills, but he made an elite Liverpool team virtually unbeatable.

He surpassed Didier Drogba as the African player with the most Premier League goals, just if you were wondering how impactful was his move to Anfield. He’s unstoppable and can finish with both feet, play at every spot up front, and has quickly become one of the best players on earth. They owe their much-awaited Premier League title claimed in 2020 in great part to him.

3. Michael Essien

Essien broke out with Lille before becoming one of the main faces of theRoman Abramovichera in Chelsea, where he became the master of the midfield side by side withFrank Lampardand won 9 titles.

Michael Essien was something you didn’t find quite often: a physical, strong, defender that could also take the ball upfront with a nice touch and court vision. His combination of skills, brains, and strength made him an elite midfielder for years, although he was never able to lead his Ghanian national team to success.He won oneAfrican Player of the Year award, though.

2. Didier Drogba

Didier Drogbais a legend on and off the field. Besides being arguably the most talented African striker ever, he urged his Ivorian compatriots to cease fire on the civil war that had doomed the nation for 5 years, right after leading them to the 2006 World Cup. Sadly, he could never lead them to a trophy.

Drogba was the all-timeAfrican leading scorer both in Premier and Champions League history before Salah overtook him and scored 275 career goals, including 65 for his national team.

1. Samuel Eto’o

And even thoughSamuel Eto’omay not have as many records as Drogba, he’s still Africa’s best player of the century after playing a starring role in 3 UEFA Champions League titles with Barcelona and Internazionale. Also, he’s AFCON’s all-time leading scorer and Cameroon’s all-time top striker as well.

Eto’o is also a four-time African Player of the Year, won two Africa Cupof Nations, one Olympic Gold, and made it to three World Cups. If that wasn’t enough, he scored293 club goals in 587 appearancesplaying for European giants like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter, and Chelsea.

Eto’o was a very big deal wherever he went during his career. He really left a mark in Europe and the world with his style of playing and personality. You can ask anybody in Europe and they will tell you that this guy was the best players of his continent after the African GOAT George Weah.