Premier League star ranks Osimhen over Salah, Yaya Toure as he names best-ever African stars

Brighton & Hove Albion winger Femi Azeez has named Victor Osimhen, Jay-Jay Okocha, and Didier Drogba as his three greatest African footballers of all time.

The newly capped Nigeria international revealed his list during a recent appearance on ESPN Africa's Top 3 segment.

Azeez’s selection notably omitted prominent continental icons like Mohamed Salah, Yaya Touré, and Samuel Eto'o, who typically dominate such conversations. 

Salah secured the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League and two Premier League titles with Liverpool; Eto'o claimed consecutive continental trebles with Barcelona and Inter Milan across the 2008/09 and 2009/10 campaigns; Yaya Toure, on the other hand, is regarded as a Premier League great after contributing to Manchester City’s ascent to a top club; these achievements, amongst others, typically ensure they are named amongst the greatest African players. 

However, the 25-year-old winger prioritised Osimhen, who fired Napoli to the 2022/23 Serie A title, alongside 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner Okocha.

He completed his trio with Drogba, who famously secured the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League title during his first stint at Chelsea.

During the same interview, the winger also weighed in on the current best players in world football.

He named Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, and Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise as the three best active players in the world right now.

Azeez is experiencing his own ascendancy in the sport. He enjoyed a transformative 2025/26 campaign at Millwall, registering 11 goals and seven assists across 37 EFL Championship appearances.

His output earned him a selection in the 2025/26 PFA Championship Team of the Season, immediately attracting the attention of Premier League executives.

Brighton beat the competition to the chase, successfully negotiating a £15 million transfer agreement with the Millwall board on the September 1 deadline day.

Azeez arrives at the Amex Stadium having also established himself on the international stage, recently scoring twice on his Super Eagles debut against Zimbabwe during the 2026 Unity Cup in June.