Al-Ahli. The highest-paid African footballer in the world. It's hard to imagine anyone predicting that would be the case when Riyad Mahrez first signed for Leicester City back in 2014.
When it comes to top-tier football, African players are making their mark on the international stage - not just with their skills on the field, but also with their impressive salaries.
Today, we're taking a closer look at the 9 highest-paid African footballers in the world, showcasing their talents and the hefty paychecks that come with them.
The 9 Highest-Paid African Footballers in the World
- The list include Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez.
- Abdoulaye Doucoure, Noussair Mazraoui, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Inaki Williams and Victor Osimhen are also on the list.
- The salaries of these players reflect the increasing level of wages in football, with three players earning over £500,000 per week.
Since the turn of the 21st century, there has been a huge influx of footballing talent coming from Africa. The Premier League has seen plenty of foreign talent come to England, but the game has gone global to a level that it has never previously reached. Over the years, more and more players from the continent have played for some of the world's biggest clubs and, as a result, they've become some of the highest-paid footballers on the planet.
In recent years, especially, the level of wages being paid to players has only gotten higher and higher, and it's currently at a level that seemed unimaginable not too long ago. With that being said, we've decided to take a look at the 9 highest-paid African footballers on the planet.
The first goalkeeper on this list, but not the last, Yassine Bounou had just won a Europa League trophy with Sevilla when he decided to leave the Spanish club and move to the Saudi Pro League. When looking at the wages that Al-Hilal were willing to pay him, who can blame him? The shot-stopper is a fantastic player and actually won the Player of the Match award in the Europa League final as Sevilla beat AS Roma and was a massive grab for Al-Hilal.
He's been a key figure for the Saudi Arabian side too. They're currently sat first in the league, well clear of second place and seemed almost guaranteed to get their hands on the trophy by the time all is said and done. He's been fantastic for them and has definitely earned his wages so far.
11 Edouard Mendy - £181,003-a-week
Al-Ahli
Another goalkeeper who made the move to the Saudi Pro League last summer, and became one of the highest-paid African footballers in the world in the process, is Edouard Mendy. The former Chelsea man had a brief, yet eventful time at Stamford Bridge, first coming in as the first-choice keeper, before falling out of favour.
He left for Al-Ahli last summer and was offered a massive salary to make the move. He's been ever-present for the side this year too, playing in all 19 of their league games. The club currently sit in third place in the table and have lost just three times all year. Not bad.
Inaki Williams - £187,585-a-week
Athletic Bilbao.
List of highest-paid African footballers in the world.
Spending pretty much his entire senior career at Athletic Bilbao, it's quite fitting that Inaki Williams has been rewarded by the club with such a large weekly wage. The forward is a legend at the Spanish club and has been performing at a high level for them for close to a decade now.
Despite constant rumours about a move away, he's never forced himself out of Bilbao and has remained focused on the team throughout his entire run. There are few club icons quite like him in the world, and he's deserving of every penny he gets from Bilbao. With his current contract running until the summer of 2028, it's unlikely he'll be leaving anytime soon either.
Thomas Partey - £200,000-a-week
Arsenal
After impressing at Atletico Madrid, Arsenal signed Thomas Partey in 2020 and right off the bat, offered him pretty large wages.
The Gunners activated his release clause at Atletico and paid £45m to bring him to England while paying him £200,000 a week once he made the move.
He's been a dependable figure in the middle of the park for Mikel Arteta's side ever since, but considering he's now 30 years old, has played just four league games this season and his contract expires next summer, it's hard to imagine he'll be making this sort of money for much longer.
Conclusion:
The list might not be accurate due to players transfer and football year.
