5 African players with the most Ligue 1 goals

Ligue 1 has had some top-notch African goal-scorers in its history.
Ligue 1 has had some top-notch African goal-scorers in its history.

#3 George Weah (Liberia) - 83 Ligue 1 goals

George Weah rose to stardom for his exploits with PSG in Ligue 1.
George Weah rose to stardom for his exploits with PSG in Ligue 1.

It speaks volumes about a player's quality when he features among the most prolific scorers from his continent in two of Europe's top five leagues. One such player is George Weah, who is the top African goal-scorer in Serie A.

But long before he joined the Italian top flight, the former Liberian ace was making a case for himself in France's Ligue 1. He joined AS Monaco in 1988 after some promising displays with various African teams.

His career then took off in an upward trajectory, spending an impressive four years with the Monegasques before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 1992. Weah's exploits at the Ligue 1 giants convinced Milan to prise him away to the San Siro.

Before that, Weah scored 79 Ligue 1 goals for two teams. He returned to the Ligue 1, where he netted five times for Marseille in 2000, in what turned out to his last season as a professional.


#2 Shabani Nonda (DR Congo) - 88 Ligue 1 goals

Shabani Nonda was a Champions League runner-up with Monaco in 2004.
Shabani Nonda was a Champions League runner-up with Monaco in 2004.

Congo's last football superstar, Shabani Nonda is referred by Ligue 1 as 'the diamond of Africa'; he enjoyed seven glorious years in the division.

The striker carved a niche for himself at Stade Rennais after joining them in 1998, scoring 15 Ligue 1 goals in his first season before going one better in the next.

His blistering exploits caught Monaco's attention, and they soon came calling for his services, signing him for a then-club-record fee of €20 million in 2000.

Nonda went on to elevate his game further with his new side, winning the Ligue 1 top-scorer award in 2003 for netting 26 goals and also featuring in the Ligue 1 team of the season too.


#1 Mamadou Niang (Senegal) - 100 Ligue 1 goals

Mamadou Niang won the Ligue 1 title as well as the Golden Boot in 2010.
Mamadou Niang won the Ligue 1 title as well as the Golden Boot in 2010.

One of Senegal's finest players of all time, Mamadou Niang is a legendary name in Ligue 1, who plied his trade for a decade in France's top football division.

His time with Troyes and Strasbourg in the early noughties made him a highly sought-after youngster before Niang realised his full potential with Marseille, whom he joined in 2005.

The next five years were full of accolades and silverware for him. Niang lifted the domestic double of Ligue 1 and French League Cup in 2010 to go with his domestic Golden Boot that season.

Niang also scored 71 Ligue 1 goals from 155 games during this period, with another 29 coming later. His record of 100 Ligue 1 strikes stands unmatched by any African player 11 years after he left the scene.

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Edited by Bhargav
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