Rigobert Song, Taribo West, Kuffour named in top 10 African defenders of all time

The African continent has produced and nurtured some of the best defenders in world football and Sports Brief has taken a look at the best men in the backline.

Several African defenders have made a name for themselves, playing for top clubs in Europe and other parts of the world.

Unlike the striking position, the defence demands much more from players and only the fittest men can be in the ‘heart’ of a team during matches.

Check out the ranking below


10. Noureddine Naybet - Morocco

Naybet scored four goals in 115 matches for the Atlas Lions of Morocco. He also featured for some of the finest European clubs, including Nantes, Deportivo La Coruna, and Tottenham Hotspur, amassing over 400 appearances in club football.

9. Joseph Yobo - Nigeria

What a fine defender from Nigeria. Yobo was in the heart of the defence for the Super Eagles as he earned 101 caps for the national team. He remains a cult hero at Goodison Park, featuring in 196 matches for English Premier League club, Everton.

8. Laureano Bisan-Etame Mayer - Cameroon

The Kribi-born footballer was a delight to watch in the defence. Lauren spent seven years with Premier League club, Arsenal, making 159 appearances for the Gunners.

He was a member of the ‘Invincibles’ that won the EPL during the 2003/2004 season.

He also had stints with Mallorca, Levante, and Portsmouth. He won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and two Community Shield titles.

Lauren featured in 24 matches for the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and was part of the squad that won the Olympic Gold in 2000. He also won the AFCON title on two occasions.

7. Geremi Njitap - Cameroon

A very intelligent defender who also featured for Real Madrid and Chelsea, Njitap was in a world of his own and could play in the midfield as well.

He is among Cameroon’s most-capped players with 118 caps for his country.

Even as a defender, Njitap scored 13 goals for his country and won two AFCON titles and the Olympic Gold in 2000.

He also won La Liga with Real Madrid during the 2000/2001 season, and at Chelsea, won two Premier League titles and one FA Cup crown.

6. Lucas Radebe - South Africa

Radebe remains one of the finest footballers ever to emerge from South Africa.

He featured in well over 200 games for the English club, Leeds United. Earlier, he played for Kaizer Chiefs, where he remains a legend.

Radebe made 70 appearances for Bafana Bafana, netting two goals. Many attribute South Africa’s 1996 African Cup of Nations success to the defender. 5. Taribo West - Nigeria

5. Taribo West - Nigeria

Taribo West was a no-nonsense Nigerian defender who enjoyed a great time with clubs outside Nigeria.

He won the UEFA Cup while at the Italian club, Inter Milan.

At French club, Auxerre, he won one Championnat de France and two Coupe de France titles.

4. Rigobert Song - Cameroon

Song could practically play and do well in any area of the defence. Opposition strikers feared him and he is renowned for his artistry in defending.

He made 137 caps for the Indomitable Lions, playing in four World Cups: 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2010. He won two AFCON titles as well.

At the club level, Song won the UEFA Cup with Liverpool in 2001.

While at Galatasaray, he won two Turkish Super Lig titles and one Turkish Cup. At Trabzonspor, he won one Turkish Super Lig title as well.

In 2021, Song was named in the IFFHS All-time Africa Men's Dream Team.

3. Wael Gomaa - Egypt

A fiery defender who left an indelible footprint in African football, Wael Gomaa had everything a coach wants in a defender. His height helped him gain an advantage over most opposition players.

He spent most of his career at the local club, Al Ahly and then retired after a brief stint with the Qatari club, Al-Sailiya.

Gomaa was part of the Pharaohs’ squad that won the AFCON tournament on three consecutive occasions: 2006, 2008, and 2010. He was also part of the Al Ahly squad that won the CAF Champions League title on six occasions.

Wael also won lots of titles locally.

2. Kolo Toure - Ivory Coast

The former Ivorian international played for three of the biggest clubs in England: Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool.

He featured in over 350 Premier League matches and was a member of Arsenal’s ‘invincibles’ that won the Premier League during the 2003/2004 season.

Toure also won the EPL title with Man City. Toure was a member of the Ivorian team that won the AFCON title in 2015.

1. Sammy Kuffour - Ghana

Kuffour is a legendary defender from the African continent who represented Bayern Munich for over a decade, winning the Bundesliga title on six occasions.

He won for DFB-Pokal titles with Bayern as well and in 2001, he was named the BBC Africa Footballer of the Year.

He also had stints with AS Roma and Ajax. Kuffour earned 54 caps for the Black Stars during his playing days and was named Ghana Player of the Year in 1998, 1999, and 2001.