Ranking the 8 Greatest African Footballers Who Also Became Successful Managers

These people were great and won trophies as players before retiring to shape future generations from the dugout; these legends have shown their brilliance in both roles. 

Here is a ranking of the 8 greatest African footballers who achieved success as managers as well.

Badou Zaki was Morocco’s number one goalkeeper in the 1980s. He helped the national team reach the Round of 16 in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, making them the first African team to achieve that.

Zaki won African Footballer of the Year in 1986, becoming one of the few goalkeepers to ever win that honour. After retiring, he coached several Moroccan clubs and later became the national team manager.

In 2004, he led Morocco to the Africa Cup of Nations final, where they lost to Tunisia. Zaki is respected across North Africa for his achievements both on and off the pitch.

Hassan Shehata had a good playing career in Egypt, featuring mostly for Zamalek SC and the Egyptian national team in the 1970s, but he became a legend as a manager. 

From 2006 to 2010, Shehata led Egypt to win three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations titles (2006, 2008, and 2010), making him one of the coaches that have AFCON the most. 

Under his guidance, Egypt played a strong, attacking style of football that dominated Africa for years. Shehata also worked with young players and helped build the careers of stars like Mohamed Aboutrika. 

Benni McCarthy is one of the most famous South African footballers. He won the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto under José Mourinho in 2004 and is South Africa’s all-time top scorer. McCarthy’s powerful strikes and smart movement made him a top striker in Europe.

After retirement, he became a coach and led AmaZulu to their best-ever finish in the South African league. In 2022, he joined Manchester United as a first-team coach, working closely with the forwards.

McCarthy has been praised for improving players like Marcus Rashford. He is clearly on his way to becoming a top manager and currently coaches the Kenyan national team.

Aliou Cissé is one of Senegal’s most famous football figures. As a player, he was the captain when Senegal reached the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals, beating France along the way. His leadership on the field was clear to everyone. 

After retiring, Cissé took charge of the national team and led them to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final and the 2021 edition, which Senegal won for the first time in their history. His calm personality and strong belief in local talent have earned him great respect.

Djamel Belmadi had a solid playing career, including spells with Marseille and Manchester City. He represented Algeria at the international level and was a talented midfielder.

As a manager, he reached even greater heights by leading Algeria to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations title.

Under his guidance, Algeria produced an unbeaten run that showcased their attacking football. Belmadi is respected for building a winning team spirit and getting the best out of star players like Riyad Mahrez.

Kalusha Bwalya is a Zambian football legend who won African Footballer of the Year in 1988. He played in Europe with PSV Eindhoven and later represented Zambia for many years.

After the tragic 1993 plane crash that killed most of the Zambian squad, Bwalya helped rebuild the team. As a coach, he led Zambia to the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals. He also served as FA president, proving his dedication to Zambian football on and off the pitch.

Mahmoud El-Gohary is one of Egypt’s true footballing legends. As a striker, he won the African Cup of Nations in 1959, scoring a hat trick in the tournament, and shone for Al Ahly.

After retiring, he led Egypt to the 1990 World Cup, their first appearance since 1934, and later won another Africa Cup of Nations as a coach in 1998.

El-Gohary’s influence was massive in developing Egyptian football at every level, showing greatness both on the field and from the bench.

Steven Keshi, nicknamed the “Big Boss”, captained Nigeria to victory at the 1994 AFCON and led the team at the World Cup. He was a strong defender, and he played club football in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Belgium, becoming a respected figure wherever he went.

As a manager, he made even bigger history by winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 with Nigeria, becoming only the second person to win the tournament as both player and coach. Keshi also guided Togo to qualify for their first World Cup in 2006. His achievements proved he had a unique ability to inspire teams to surpass expectations.