Five African goalkeepers to feature in Premier League

Andre Onana joins the list after recent move to Manchester United

African players have made their mark in the Premier League. Forwards and midfielders like Salah, Toure Drogba and a few others have a huge fanbase. There are also a few goalkeepers who have made their mark in the English top division.

Goalkeepers are ranked on a mix of different factors, including team and individual honours, longevity, the quality of leagues they played in, peak performance, and statistical success. And with the records intact as far as the Premier League is concerned, some safe hands have represented the African continent based on their goalkeeping exploits on the English football scene.

Five African goalkeepers who have played in the Premier League:

1. Bruce Grobbelaar – Zimbabwe

Regarded as possibly the finest African goalkeeper ever, the South African-born Zimbabwean earned legendary status at Liverpool, where he played a vital role in their European triumph in 1984. In fact, the Reds owed a large portion of that success to Grobbelaar, whose bandy legs in the final shootout victory over AS Roma ultimately secured the continental crown.

The stopper was past his peak by the time the Premier League began, but he still represented his beloved Liverpool in the newly formed league for several seasons before moving on to Southampton. During his time on the south coast, the eccentric goalkeeper faced persistent rumours of involvement in match-fixing, which cast a shadow over his career.

2. Richard Kingson – Ghana

The Ghanaian shot-stopper had a four-year stay in English football, playing for sides like Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, and notably Blackpool. He’s a legend in his homeland of Ghana, having won 93 caps for the Black Stars, including the 2006 and 2010 World Cup campaigns.

He was a vital member of the Black Stars squad that achieved the runners-up position at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2010, cementing his status as a revered figure in Ghanaian football.

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3. Carl Ikeme – Nigeria

Long-serving Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper who never signed permanently for another club despite going out on loan to eight different sides across a 15-year career. In 2015, Ikeme took over as Nigeria’s No. 1 goalkeeper after Vincent Enyeama’s departure and went on to earn 10 caps for the Super Eagles.

However, a year prior to the 2018 World Cup, he received a diagnosis of acute leukaemia. Although he triumphed over the illness, his playing career came to an end, and he was unable to partake in Wolves’ resurgence to the top tier.

4. Edouard Mendy – Senegal

The Senegalese goaltender was relatively impressive during his stint at West London. Mendy kept out Kepa Arrizabalaga for a longer spell at Stamford Bridge until the latter part of last season. The towering stopper is now a new recruit in Saudi Arabia, having signed for Al-Ahli on a three-year contract from Chelsea, which he joined in 2020. Mendy leaves with a UEFA Champions League winner’s medal following the Blues’ triumph in 2021.

5. Andre Onana – Cameroon

The Cameroonian recently joined the Red Devils from Inter Milan, and he replaced David de Gea, who was the number-one keeper for Manchester United for a long time. Onana is a sweeper-keeper who has strong distribution skills. He regularly comes out of his box to help build play and is known for his confidence in the ball and range of passing. He was described as resembling a “holding midfielder at times” in UEFA’s Technical Observers’ report on the 2022–23 Champions League.

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