Here are the top scorers since the AFCON started in 1957

All eyes are on the Africa Cup of Nations at the moment as the tournament kicks off in Egypt on Friday, June 21 and runs through to July 19. 

Goals are the finest highlights of any football competition and some of the greatest goals have been witnessed at the African Cup of Nations, AFCON.

1. Samuel Eto'o, 18 goals

Fast and energetic in his heydays, Eto'o is the most decorated African player of all time, having won the African Player of the Year award a record four times: in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010. Samuel Eto'o scored a record 18 goals in six Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments. He was third in the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2005. The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker helped Cameroon win two Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2000 and 2002 and was also instrumental when the Indomitable Lions replicated Nigeria's feat as the second African country to win the Olympic Games (2000)

2. Laurent Pokou, 14 goals

For so long, until a certain Samuel Eto’o tore the record books, Ivorian Laurent Pokou sat atop the log of the most prolific AFCON strikers ever.

Twice the highest goalscorer of the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring six goals in the 1968 tournament in Ethiopia and eight in the 1970 edition in Sudan, including five strikes in one match against Ethiopia, which Ivory Coast won 6-1, Pokou was the finest the continent had witnessed at the tourney. 

3. Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria, 13 goals

The late striker bagged 13 goals in the AFCON: Yekini had a fantastic tournament in 1994, winning the best player and topscorer awards, as Nigeria cruised to their second Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph. He was a deadly attacker and gave most defenders much to worry about.

4. Hasan El-Shazly – 12 goals

Egypt are the most decorated African side in AFCON history with seven triumphs. They are not left out when it comes to goals. Hasan El-Shazly, its top scorer at the AFCON has however not tasted victory with the team.

He hit six goals in the 1963 AFCON but with him in the side Egypt thrice lost their semi-final fixtures, twice to Sudan. 

5. Patrick Mboma, 11goals

In the glory days of Cameroon’s AFCON dominance in the 2000s only one player came close to the impact that Eto’o had on the side, Patrick Mboma – the attacker has 11 AFCON goals.

He ended joint scrorer at the 2002 and 2004 editions of the AFCON. He was also voted the African Footballer of the year in the year 2000.

Here are the AFCON Top 20 All-Time Leading Scorers

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