AFCON Golden Boot winners: As the Africa Cup of Nations approaches, football enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the electrifying competition set to unfold in Ivory Coast.
Amidst the fervor of the tournament, one of the most coveted honors is the Golden Boot award, bestowed upon the player who demonstrates goal-scoring prowess throughout the event.
In this comprehensive overview, we delve into the past and present AFCON Golden Boot winners, celebrating the prolific goal-scorers who have left an indelible mark on the tournament's history.
AFCON Golden Boot winners: Celebrating Nigeria's goal-scoring excellence
The AFCON Golden Boot winners hold a special place in the rich history of the Africa Cup of Nations, showcasing exceptional goal-scoring prowess on the continental stage.
When Odion Ighalo was bestowed with the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot at the Egypt 2019 AFCON, it marked a historic moment as he became the 6th Nigerian and the 56th African player to claim this esteemed award.
Ighalo's five-goal performance showcased his exceptional goal-scoring prowess, aligning him with Nigerian football legends who have previously secured the AFCON Golden Boot.
Joining the ranks of Segun Odegbami (3 goals, AFCON 1980), Rashidi Yekini (5 goals, 1994), Julius Aghahowa (3 goals, 2002), Austin Okocha (4 goals, 2004), and Emmanuel Emenike (4 goals, 2013), Ighalo's achievement adds another illustrious chapter to Nigeria's AFCON legacy.
List of AFCON Golden Boot winners
The table provides a comprehensive overview of AFCON Golden Boot winners from 1957 to 2021.
It includes the respective years, the players or players (in cases of ties), and the number of goals they scored during the tournament.
Notable names such as Samuel Eto’o, Rashidi Yekini, and Laurent Pokou feature prominently, showcasing their significant goal-scoring contributions to their respective national teams in AFCON history.
| YEARS | PLAYER(S) | GOALS SCORED |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Ad El Diba (Egypt) | 5 |
| 1959 | Mahmoud Al Gohari (Egypt) | 3 |
| 1962 | Mohamed Al Badawi (Egypt), Worku Mengistu (Ethiopia) | 3 |
| 1963 | Ahmed Al Chazli (Egypt) | 6 |
| 1965 | Abbrey Osei Kofi (Ghana), Eustace Mangli (Ivory Coast) | 3 |
| 1968 | Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast) | 6 |
| 1970 | Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast) | 8 |
| 1972 | Salif Keita (Mali) | 5 |
| 1974 | Pierre Ndaye Mulamba | 9 |
| 1976 | William Njo Lea (Guinea) | 4 |
| 1978 | Phillip Omondi (Uganda) | 4 |
| 1980 | Segun Odegbami (Nigeria) | 3 |
| 1982 | George Al Hassan (Ghana) | 4 |
| 1984 | Taher Abou Zeid (Egypt) | 4 |
| 1986 | Roger Milla (Cameroon), Abdoulaye Traore (Ivory Coast) | 4 |
| 1988 | Lakhdar Belloumi (Algeria), Roger Milla (Cameroon), Gamal Abdelhamid (Egypt), Abdoulaye Traore (Ivory Coast) | 4 |
| 1990 | Djamel Menad (Algeria) | 4 |
| 1992 | Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria) | 4 |
| 1994 | Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria) | 5 |
| 1996 | Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia) | 5 |
| 1998 | Hossam Hassan (Egypt), Benni McCarthy (South Africa) | 7 |
| 2000 | Shaun Bartlett (South Africa) | 5 |
| 2002 | Patrick Mboma(Cameroon), Salomon Olembe (Cameroon), Julius Aghahowa (Nigeria) | 3 |
| 2004 | Patrick Mboma (Cameroon), Frederic Kanoute (Mali), Austin Okocha (Nigeria), Youssef Mokhtari (Morocco), Francileudo dos Santos (Tunisia) | 4 |
| 2006 | Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Ahmed Hassan (Egypt), Francileudo dos Santos (Tunisia) | 4 |
| 2008 | Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) | 5 |
| 2010 | Mohamed Nagui (Egypt) | 5 |
| 2012 | Manucho (Angola), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Cheick Tidiane Diabate (Mali), Houcine Kharja (Morocco) Chris Katongo (Zambia), Emmanuel Mayuka (Zambia) | 3 |
| 2013 | Emmanuel Emenike (Nigeria), Mubarak Wakaso (Ghana) | 4 |
| 2015 | Ahmed Akaichi (Tunisia), Andre Ayew (Ghana), Dieumerci Mbokani (DR Congo), Javier Balboa (Equatorial Guinea), Thievy Biffouma (Congo) | 3 |
| 2017 | Junior Kabananga (DR Congo) | 3 |
| 2019 | Odion Ighalo (Nigeria) | 5 |
| 2021 | Vincent Aboubakar | 8 |
This article was most recently revised and updated 12 months ago
