Africans Shine Bright Across Europe’s Top Leagues This Weekend
The weekend’s action in Europe’s top five football leagues once again highlighted the growing influence of African talent. From England to Germany, and France to Italy, African players delivered standout performances that shaped crucial results for their clubs.
England – Premier League (Matchday 3)
Riyad Mahrez is enjoying a spectacular start to the season with Leicester City. The Algerian international, currently the Premier League’s top scorer, notched his fourth goal in three games, helping the Foxes earn a 1-1 draw against Tottenham. His electric form is turning heads across the league.
Elsewhere, Bakary Sako made an instant impact on his Crystal Palace debut. The Malian international scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Aston Villa, marking a dream start to life in the Premier League.
Mame Biram Diouf continued his fine scoring form, netting for Stoke City in their 1-1 draw with Norwich. It’s the Senegalese forward’s second goal in as many matches.
In a seven-goal thriller, West Ham fell 3-4 to Bournemouth, but there were bright sparks for the Hammers: goals from Senegal’s Cheikhou Kouyaté and Mali’s Modibo Maïga.
Germany – Bundesliga (Matchday 2)
Borussia Dortmund maintained their blistering early-season form with a 4-0 victory over Ingolstadt. Once again, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on the scoresheet, grabbing his second goal in two games, as Thomas Tuchel’s men made a statement of intent.
Meanwhile, Anthony Ujah, who joined Werder Bremen from Cologne this summer, scored a crucial equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Hertha Berlin, settling quickly into his new surroundings.
France – Ligue 1 (Matchday 3)
Olympique de Marseille made headlines with a 6-0 demolition of Troyes, a match that saw Moroccan Abdelaziz Barrada open the scoring.
Bastia continued their strong start to the campaign, beating Guingamp 3-0, with Malian striker Coulibaly finding the net.
Angers, back in the top flight, stunned Gazélec Ajaccio 2-0 thanks to a brace from Senegalese midfielder Cheikh Ndoye.
Malian Tongo Doumbia gave Toulouse the lead against Monaco, but the hosts fought back to earn a 1-1 draw.
Algerian defender Mehdi Zeffane had a memorable return to Lyon, playing a starring role in Rennes’ shock 2-1 victory with an assist and a goal.
Italy – Serie A (Matchday 1)
Moroccan defender El Kaoutari made an immediate impact on his Serie A debut, scoring the only goal in Palermo’s 1-0 win over Genoa.
Spain – La Liga (Matchday 1)
It was a quieter weekend for African stars in La Liga, with no goals scored by African players during the opening round.
With the season still in its early stages, African players are already proving decisive for their clubs across Europe, delivering both goals and game-changing performances.
