Top is 93 games 

©TM/IMAGO

Most of the leading African players will return to the Champions League stage this week, following their exploits at AFCON. It was another thrilling competition with an unprecedented and wild ending to the final between Morocco and Senegal. After instruction from manager Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s players left the pitch after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco in the eighth minute of injury time.

Brahim Díaz, however, missed from the spot before Senegal scored a winner in extra-time to lift the coveted trophy. African players have a famous history in the Champions League with Liverpool’s Bruce Grobbelaar the first player from the continent to lift the trophy in 1994. Samuel Eto’o is the most decorated African player in Champions League history with three titles, two with Barcelona and one with Inter Milan. But which African player has made the most appearances in the most prestigious club competition? Let’s find out!

The record African appearance holders in the Champions League

Mohamed Salah is the record appearance holder in the Champions League amongst African players and the Egyptian surpassed Didier Drogba this season. The 33-year-old has made 93 appearances in the competition with 78 of them arriving with Liverpool, seven with Roma, six with Basle and two at Chelsea. Drogba played 92 times in the competition, famously winning it with Chelsea in 2012.

As the graphic above illustrates, the aforementioned Eto ranks third with 78 appearances in the competition for five different clubs. Two Ghanaian players complete the top five in Michael Essien and Samuel Kuffour with PSG star Achraf Hakimi likely to surpass the latter this season. Interestingly, Salah could become the first African player to reach 100 Champions League appearances, if Liverpool go deep in the competition this season.