Ademola Lookman was recently voted the 2024 African Footballer of the Year. The former Charlton Athletic man, who made a big-money move to Everton, and won the Under 20 World Cup with England, won the award based on his performances with Atalanta and Nigeria. For a player who will not turn 28 until October 2025, he has packed a lot into his career.
Lookman had so much promise and was incredibly close to a full England cap, having played for the country of his birth at U19, U20 and U21 levels. He has played in the Premier League with three different clubs, in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, but only since a move to Serie A and a switch of international allegiance to Nigeria has he really fulfilled his immense potential.
All credit to Lookman, but whilst his is a fantastic story of redemption and perseverance, our interest is, of course, Chelsea. Lookman was the first Atalanta player to make the top three at the African Footballer of the Year, but what of Chelsea’s many great African players – have any of them won this prestigious prize?
Chelsea One of Strongest Clubs in Award’s History
The short answer to our titular question is yes, and we’ll look in more detail at which Chelsea footballers have been honoured as the greatest players in Africa. However, in more general terms, it is worth pointing out that the Blues have produced 10 “podium” finishes at the African Footballer of the Year awards over the years.
They have had two winners, four runners-up and six players who have finished third. No club in world football can better that tally of 10. Liverpool players have won this award on four occasions, as have Manchester City footballers, whilst players representing French side Marseille have landed the African Footballer of the Year prize on three occasions.
Before we look at the times that a Chelsea player has landed the big prize, here is a summary of the times they have finished second or third.
Silver Medals
Three separate players have finished as runners-up, with one, Didier Drogba, doing so twice. The other Blues footballers to narrowly miss out are Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel. Drogba came second in 2004 and 2005, missing out to Samuel Eto’o both times. In fact, that was also the case in 2003, but at that time the powerful Ivorian played for Marseilles.
Essien was second in 2007, behind Frederic Kanoute, then of Sevilla. Mikel finished behind Man City powerhouse Yaya Toure in 2013, finishing ahead of third-placed Drogba, who at that stage played for Galatasaray.
Bronze
Essien was the first Chelsea player to finish third in this prize, doing so in 2005. A year on he again had to settle for bronze, though in 2007 it was teammate Drogba collecting third place. Essien was back in his usual position of third in both 2008 and 2009, though 2010’s bronze went to Drogba once again. Amazingly then, the third-best African footballer in the world played, at least according to this award, for Chelsea six years in a row from 2005 onwards. More recently Edouard Mendy took third place in 2022, which was the last time a player from the west London club made the top three.
Didier Drogba, Truly One of Africa’s Greatest
Several names have occurred repeatedly thus far in this article, with Chelsea dominating the top three of this award for a lengthy period from 2004 onwards. The Blues had a number of sensational African footballers at this time, many of whom formed the core of their great teams at this time and helped deliver plenty of silverware to Stamford Bridge.
Of them all though, one in particular stands out above the rest, and that is, of course, Didier Drogba. Chelsea signed him from Marseille in July 2004 for a fee of £24m which was, at the time, the most any English side had paid for a striker and also a Chelsea club record for any player. He was one of José Mourinho’s many excellent purchases and was the focal point of the attack, forming a sensational Chelsea spine along with Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech.
Early Days at Chelsea
In Drogba’s first season with the Blues they won the Premier League for the first time, claiming the top-flight title for just the second time in their history. They also won the League Cup, with Drogba scoring in extra time to help his club to a 3-2 win over Liverpool.
The burly Ivorian “only” scored 16 goals in that debut campaign, though he did miss more than two months due to a stomach injury. He added 16 more the following season but then in 2006/07 he really hit his straps, firing home 33 goals for the Blues. His play during much of 2006 was magnificent and as well as his feats with Chelsea, he also played a big part in his nation’s run to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations that year.
Only four men outscored him at the tournament, though his side lost the final to hosts Egypt. Even so, Drogba was named in the Team of the Tournament and pipped Eto’o to that year’s African Footballer of the Year.
2009 Brings Second Win
Three years later it was again a Drogba-Eto’o one-two, though this time Drogba was well ahead in the voting (92 points to 69, compared to 79 vs 76 in 2006). At club level 2009/10 was probably his best year, as his 37 goals in 44 games for Chelsea helped them to a league and cup double. But it was 2009 specifically that was one of his most productive years for Ivory Coast, with Drogba netting seven times in just six appearances for the Elephants.
He was also named the BBC African Footballer of the Year in 2009 and made the CAF Team of the Year (as he did in 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2012). Drogba is, by some measures, the most successful player ever in terms of the African Player of the Year award. He has made the top three nine times, one more than Eto’o (though the Cameroonian boasts four wins to Drogba’s two). Drogba has the most seconds and most thirds, whilst he has also finished in the top three with four different clubs (Chelsea, Marseille, Galatasaray and Shanghai Shenhua, illustrating that his success is not solely down to that of the Blues).
Drogba’s Top 3s
| Year | Place | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2nd | Marseille |
| 2004 | 2nd | Chelsea |
| 2005 | 2nd | Chelsea |
| 2006 | 1st | Chelsea |
| 2007 | 3rd | Chelsea |
| 2009 | 1st | Chelsea |
| 2010 | 3rd | Chelsea |
| 2012 | 2nd | Shanghai Shenhua |
| 2013 | 3rd | Galatasaray |