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There have been plenty of distinguished African imports to the Bundesliga, and some of them have even attained cult status at their clubs.
Despite their focus on promoting young German talent, Bundesliga clubs did not shy away from providing talented African players with opportunities in the 1990s, and continue to do so even now.
On that note, let’s take a look at the top five African goal scorers in the Bundesliga:
#5 Bachirou Salou – 51 goals
Bachirou Salou is a proper Bundesliga veteran, having played over 250 games for five clubs in the German top flight. He scored a combined 51 goals for Borussia Monchengladbach, Duisburg, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Hansa Rostock.
A strong and agile centre-forward, Salou was a big presence in the box. Despite his build, though, he was much more than just a hold up player as he liked playing off the shoulders of defences to use his pace to good effect.
After working his way up to the Bundesliga through the second division, Salou found some success with Monchengladbach, as he helped them to the German Cup or the DFB Pokal in 1995.
Salou also did well for Togo national team, scoring 17 times in 39 games. He is currently in the list of the top five goal scorers for his country.
#4 Souleyman Sane – 51 goals
Father of Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane, Souleyman Sane made his Bundesliga bow at Nuremburg. However, most of his goals came for Wattenscheid.
Like Bachirou Salou, Sane had to bide his time in the second division before making the jump to the top flight with Nuremburg in 1988. His record in the 2.Bundesliga was just brilliant and he mustered an incredible 56 goals in just three seasons.
Nuremburg took notice of the agile and smart finisher, and signed him on a free transfer. Sane lasted just two seasons at the club before moving to Wattenscheid, where he found more success in terms of goals scored.
Wattenscheid were not a big club nor did they have a lot of resources back then, but Sane’s 13 goals in the 1990-91 season helped them to an 11th-place finish. It remains their best ever finish in the German top flight.
Sane featured 174 times in the German top flight and score 51 goals in the process. His son Leroy Sane will hope to perhaps match or break that record some day.
#3 Jonathan Akpoborie – 60 goals
One of the best African players of the late ‘90s, Jonathan Akpoborie often combined electric pace with good finishing.
Akpoborie’s Bundesliga journey started with Hansa Rostock in 1995, and for six years, he was one of the best forwards in the German top flight.
He managed to score ten or more goals for four years in a row in the Bundesliga, and almost won the UEFA Cup Winners Cup in 1998 with Stuttgart. His side fell at the final hurdle against Chelsea.
A record of 60 Bundesliga goals in 144 games isn’t a bad return at all, and he remains one of the most complete African players to have played in the German top flight.
#2 Anthony Yeboah – 96 goals
Anthony Yeboah is someone both the Premier League and the Bundesliga fans of the ‘90s will know a lot about as the Ghanaian was an effervescent figure. He was also a powerhouse of a centre-forward who tormented defenders.
Before his spell at Leeds United, Yeboah earned recognition for his consistent displays at Eintracht Frankfurt, and is one of the best foreign imports to have played for the club.
Yeboah scored plenty of iconic goals and managed a total of 96 strikes in the German top-flight.
It’s a shame Yeboah never really won any silverware with Frankfurt, even though he won plenty of personal accolades. He finished the 1992-93 and the 1993-94 as the Bundesliga top scorer with Frankfurt with 20 and 18 goals respectively.
#1 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 98 goals
The former Borussia Dortmund forward is the only player on this list to have played for just one club in the Bundesliga to possess such a distinguished record.
Aubameyang’s tally of 98 goals in just 144 games better than a goal every two games, amazing numbers in modern football.
The Gabon international started off as a winger at Dortmund, but was moved to a central role by then Dortmund manager Jürgen Klopp who saw his potential and composure in front of goal.
Aubameyang went on to win the Torjagerkanone (the golden boot in the Bundesliga) in the 2016-17 season, and has not done too badly at Arsenal either.
