Paris Saint-Germain striker, Kylian Mbappe, has been making the headlines for the past few days following his arrival in Cameroon with his father - and reports linking him with a move to Real Madrid.
The Frenchman is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world currently, considering his performances at PSG and also for his country's national team.
Mbappe is also among the top footballers with strong links to the African continent.
Mbappe was born in 1998 in Paris to a Cameroonian father, Wilfried, and a French mother, Fayza Lamari.
The PSG star started his football career at AS Bondy's youth side in 2004, where his impressive showings saw him earn a move to AS Monaco and later the French capital.
Mbappe then decided to play for his country of birth - France - and not Cameroon with the 24-year-old surely not regretting becoming a World Cup-winner with Les Bleus.
Sports Brief takes a look at five other big footballers who also have strong African roots.
Bukayo Saka (Nigeria)
Last season, Saka showed his growth as a player in the Premier League, registering 14 goals and 11 assists as Arsenal finished second on the table.
Despite playing for his country of birth, England, his parents are Nigerian and he recently visited the west African nation, according to the reports by Premium Times and Vanguard.
Son of the soil!
— Mimi Fawaz (@MimosaFawaz) June 1, 2023
Loving all these videos of Bukayo Saka in Nigeria.
Wearing traditional wear as he is walking around the streets of Lagos, Nigeria ????????
pic.twitter.com/9sO5fA5XJi
Paul Pogba (Guinea)
The parents of the former Manchester United star are from Guinea, but the World Cup winner with France decided to represent the country of his birth.
Paul Labile Pogba received a hero’s welcome on his arrival to Guinea.
— Thierry Nyann ???????? (@nyannthierry) June 21, 2022
There’s no place like home???? pic.twitter.com/8M27pPkgsF
David Alaba (Nigeria)
The 31-year-old defender currently plays for Real Madrid and captains the Austrian national team. His father is from Nigeria and Alaba even met President Bola Amhed Tinubu in Paris last month.
David Alaba, Nigerian-Austrian footballer gifts President Bola Ahmed Tinubu his Real Madrid shirt Number 4. It was at the meeting in Paris Friday between President Tinubu and Nigerians in the diaspora. pic.twitter.com/vvwkuDReyz
— Bayo onanuga (@aonanuga1956) June 23, 2023
Memphis Depay (Ghana)
Born to a Ghanaian father and a Dutch mother, Depay has established a consistent tradition in recent years of visiting the west African country during the summer.
The 29-year-old represents the Netherlands at an international level.
Memphis Depay again lands in Ghana to do his usual philanthropic works pic.twitter.com/eqFL5RxorG
— Frank Darkwah (@Blaqqkoffi) June 16, 2022
Antonio Rudiger (Sierra Leone)
Known for his aggressive playing style, Antonio Rudiger plays for Real Madrid. His father is from Sierra Leone but the player was born in Germany and he chose to represent the European nation.
Antonio Rudiger is donating his World Cup earnings to pay for the operations of children in need in his mother's home country of Sierra Leone ????❤️
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 14, 2022
(via @BigShoe_11, @ToniRuediger) pic.twitter.com/oHYEJmertJ
