Yaya Toure picks Salah ahead of Kanu & Okocha, snubs Mikel in greatest African players list

Liverpool goal machine Mohamed Salah has been ranked the third greatest African football player of all time in an exclusive list. 

Pulse Sports can report that the Egyptian star was ranked ahead of Nigerian legends Austin Jay Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo in a top five African players of all-time list compiled by Yaya Toure. 

With the Africa Cup of Nations, tagged AFCON2023, ongoing in Cote d’Ivoire, Toure was asked to name his best-ever African stars.

The Manchester City legend was asked to name his top five players from the continent to ever play the game, according to a Teamtalk report. 

Toure ranked Salah ahead of Nigerian icons, Okocha and Nwankwo but had no place for John Mikel Obi on his list. 

“Mohamed Salah, this is difficult,” he said. “I’ll have him as the number two ranking, (with) Samuel Eto’O at number one.”

However, the PL great would change his mind, with the Egyptian forward moved to third with Didier Drogba taking his spot.

“Drogba, because I played with him,” he stated.“I know his value, he’s another number one, Kanu, I’d put him at number four. Jay Jay Okocha because there are five players, he will have to go at number five,” he added.

Africa has provided some of the greatest players to grace the game of football, with more players on the rise. 

Salah and some of the brightest players from the continent at currently at the Africa Cup of Nations as countries battle for honours in the 34th AFCON.

Meanwhile, Jay Jay and other legends of the game are also in Cote d'Ivoire in their roles as Ambassadors of the game.