From the Africa Cup of Nations to league football, we have seen some great African finishers this year. For that reason, Pulse Sports ranks the top ten African strikers of 2022.
Nb: This ranking is based on the number of goals they scored for club and country, so it is not limited to the traditional number nine alone.
Eric Choupo-Moting (Cameroon and Bayern Munich)-12 goals
In tenth place is Bayern Munich and Cameroon star Erick Choupo-Moting. Moting has ten goals for both club and country this year.
Nine of those goals came in the 28 appearances for Bayern Munich despite playing mostly as a substitute for the Bavaria giants.
The former Paris Saint Germain (PSG) star featured for Cameroon at the AFCON and the World Cup.
Although he failed to score in the African competition, Moting was on target for the Indomitable Lions’ thrilling 3-3 draw against Serbia at the just-concluded Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea and VFB Stuttgart)-13 goals
Guinea’s striker Serhou Guirassy follows Moting. Guirassy scored 13 goals this year, but all came at club level, scoring no goal for the Syli Nationale despite playing in their two AFCON qualifiers.
However, the 26-year-old’s goals were split between Stade Rennes and Stuttgart. Guirassy joined the German club from Rennes in the summer and has scored five goals in all competitions for them.
Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast and Crystal Palace)- 16 goals
Ivory Coast’s Wilfried Zaha is number eight on the list after a remarkable year for Crystal Palace. Zaha has been one of Africa’s best players in 2022 after scoring 16 goals. Although none of his strikes came in national team colours, Zaha has been killing it at club level.
The 30-year-old has arguably been Palace’s best player this season, with 16 goals in 32 appearances, including ten in the final half of last season.
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon, Barcelona and Chelsea)- 17 goals
Aubameyang may not be in the best form right now, but the Gabonese striker had a first half of the year to remember. The former Borussia Dortmund had started last season with Arsenal but left for Barcelona in January after falling out with Mikel Arteta at the Emirates.
Aubameyang had a successful six months with Barcelona, scoring 11 goals in 17 league games. He also scored another two in the Europa League for the Catalan giants. However, despite his brilliance, Aubmaeyang’s time at Barcelona was short, as he left for Chelsea in the summer.
His at Chelsea has not gone according to plan, but he has three goals in 12 appearances for The Blues. Aubameyang’s other goal this year came in Gabon’s pre-AFCON friendly against Burkina Faso, although he missed the competition after testing positive for coronavirus.
Andy Delort (Algeria and Nice)-17 goals
Behind Aubameyang is Algeria’s Andy Delort, who also has 17 goals this year. However, all of Delort’s goals came in 34 appearances for his Ligue 1 club, Nice.
The 31-year-old scored 11 in the first half of the year, while he has six this season.
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria and Manchester City)-19 goals
Mahrez sits ahead of Delort after scoring 19 goals for Manchester City and Algeria this year. He has scored 17 goals for the League champions, including five this season.
Mahrez did feature for Algeria at AFCON but failed to find the back of the net as the Desert Foxes crashed out in the group stage.
However, he still scored two goals for the two-time African champions, including a penalty against Nigeria.
Terem Moffi (Nigeria and Lorient)- 19
Moffi is level with Mahrez after a brilliant year for Lorient and Nigeria. While Moffi’s brilliant scoring form only hit the top gear in the second half, he had shown promising signs in the first half, scoring six goals for Lorient.
Moffi has since added ten league goals to the six he scored earlier this year, while he also scored three goals for Nigeria.
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria and Napoli)-24
It has been a good year for Nigerian strikers, but Osimhen’s brilliance supersedes them all. The 23-year-old has had his best year yet despite his injury problems.
Osimhen is currently in the form of his life, having scored nine goals in 11 league games for Serie A leaders Napoli this season. This is in addition to the seven he scored in the first half of the year. The Super Eagles star also has one goal in three Champions League games.
It is not just at the club level that Osimhen has been good. The ex-Lille man has also had a brilliant year with the National team, scoring five goals, including four in the 10-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)-28 goals
Salah narrowly missed out on the Champions League and the Premier League with Liverpool, but the Egyptian has had a good individual year.
With 28 goals for Liverpool and Egypt, only Sadio Mane scored more among African players in Europe’s top leagues this year.
Salah has 24 goals for Liverpool this year, scoring 15 in all competitions this season.
He also scored four goals for Egypt, including two in the AFCON, although the Pharaohs suffered a shootout defeat against Senegal in the semi-final.
Sadio Mane- (Senegal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool)-33 goals
Mane’s year ended in disappointment after missing Senegal’s World Cup campaign. But the 30-year-old can still be proud of an incredible year. The Bayern Munich star stands tall ahead of every other African player this year.
Mane started the year with Liverpool, scoring 14 goals for Jurgen Klopp’s men in the first half. Mane left Liverpool in the summer to sign for Bayern Munich. The former Southampton man has continued from where he left off, scoring 11 goals.
Meanwhile, despite missing out on the World Cup, 2022 remains Mane’s best year at international level. The attacker fired Senegal to their first AFCON title, scoring three goals in the process.
Mane scored another five for the Teranga Lions, including a hat-trick against Benin. It was disappointing to see him miss the World Cup, but there is no doubt that 2022 belonged to Mane.
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