Africa's European Cup final history-makers

The Africa Cup of Nations begins on Saturday, with nine players who are expected to feature in the UEFA Champions League's spring campaign on duty in Equatorial Guinea*. As the 16 teams get ready for the competition, UEFA.com gives a nod to the African players who have made the greatest impact on the biggest European stage – European Champion Clubs' Cup and UEFA Champions League finals.

African players who have won the most European Champion Clubs' Cup finals (excluding unused substitutes)
3: Samuel Eto'o (FC Barcelona 2005/06, 2008/09, FC Internazionale Milano 2009/10)
2: Seydou Keita (FC Barcelona 2008/09, 2010/11)

Most goals scored by an African player in European Champion Clubs' Cup finals
2: Samuel Eto'o (FC Barcelona 2005/06, 2008/09)

First African player to win (or feature) in a European Champion Clubs' Cup final
Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe) – Liverpool FC, 1983/84

First African player to lose a European Champion Clubs' Cup final
Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe) – Liverpool FC, 1984/85

First African player to score in a European Champion Clubs' Cup final
Rabah Madjer (Algeria) – FC Porto, 1986/87

First African-born player to feature in a European Champion Clubs' Cup final
Just Fontaine (b Marrakech, Morocco) – Stade de Reims 1958/59

First African-born players to win a European Champion Clubs' Cup final
Alberto Costa Pereira (b Nacala, Mozambique), Joaquim Santana (b Lobito, Angola), José Águas (b Lobito, Angola), Mário Coluna (b Inhaca, Mozambique) – SL Benfica, 1960/61

15: Number of African players to have won European Champion Clubs' Cup finals (excluding unused substitutes)
Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe) – Liverpool FC, 1983/84
Rabah Madjer (Algeria) – FC Porto, 1986/87
Abedi Pelé (Ghana) – Olympique de Marseille, 1992/93
Finidi George (Nigeria) – AFC Ajax, 1994/95
Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) – AFC Ajax, 1994/95
Samuel Kuffour (Ghana) – FC Bayern München 2000/01
Benni McCarthy (South Africa) – FC Porto, 2003/04
Djimi Traoré (Mali) – Liverpool FC, 2004/05
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) – FC Barcelona, 2005/06, 2008/09, FC Internazionale Milano, 2009/10
Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast) – FC Barcelona, 2008/09
Seydou Keita (Mali) – FC Barcelona, 2008/09, 2010/11
Sulley Muntari (Ghana) – FC Internazionale Milano, 2009/10
Jon Obi Mikel (Nigeria) – Chelsea FC, 2011/12
Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast) – Chelsea FC, 2011/12
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) – Chelsea FC, 2011/12

3: Number of goals scored by African players (excluding shoot-out penalties) in European Champion Clubs' Cup finals
Rabah Madjer (Algeria) – FC Porto, 1986/87
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) – FC Barcelona, 2005/06
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) – FC Barcelona, 2008/09

Bruce Grobbelaar©Getty Images

10: Number of runners-up medals given to African players who featured in European Champion Clubs' Cup finals
Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe) – Liverpool FC, 1984/85
Hajry Redouane (Morocco) – SL Benfica 1987/88
Vata (Angola) – SL Benfica, 1988/89
Abedi Pelé (Ghana) – Olympique de Marseille, 1990/91
Finidi George (Nigeria) – AFC Ajax, 1995/96
Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) – AFC Ajax, 1995/96
Samuel Kuffour (Ghana) – FC Bayern München, 1998/99
Emmanuel Eboué (Ivory Coast) – Arsenal FC, 2005/06
Kolo Touré (Ivory Coast) – Arsenal FC, 2005/06
Michael Essien (Ghana) – Chelsea FC, 2007/08

6: Number of unused African substitutes in European Champion Clubs' Cup finals
Geremi (Cameroon) – Real Madrid CF, 1999/00
Tony Sylva (Senegal) – AS Monaco FC, 2003/04
Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo) – AS Monaco FC, 2003/04
Jon Obi Mikel (Nigeria) – Chelsea FC, 2007/08
McDonald Mariga (Kenya) – FC Internazionale Milano, 2009/10
Michael Essien (Ghana) – Chelsea FC, 2011/12

Most European Champion Clubs' Cup winners per nation
3: Ghana (Pelé, 1992/93; Kuffour, 2000/01; Muntari, 2009/10), Nigeria (George, 1994/95; Kanu, 1994/95; Mikel, 2011/12), Ivory Coast (Yaya Touré, 2008/09; Kalou, 2011/12; Drogba, 2011/12)
2: Mali (Traoré 2004/05; Keita 2008/09, 2010/11)
1: Zimbabwe (Grobbelaar 1983/84), Algeria (Madjer, 1986/87), South Africa (McCarthy 2003/04), Cameroon (Eto'o 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10)

Most European Champion Clubs' Cup winners' medals per African nation
3: Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Cameroon, Ivory Coast
1: Zimbabwe, South Africa, Algeria

Most African players in a single European Champion Clubs' Cup winning side (excluding unused substitutes)
3: FC Barcelona, 2008/09 (Yaya Touré – Ivory Coast, Samuel Eto'o – Cameroon, Seydou Keita – Mali)
3: Chelsea FC, 2011/12 (Mikel Jon Obi – Nigeria, Salomon Kalou – Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba – Ivory Coast)

*2014/15 UEFA Champions League contenders on duty at the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea
Aymen Abdennour (AS Monaco FC) – Tunisia
Vincent Aboubakar (FC Porto) – Cameroon
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund) – Gabon
Serge Aurier (Paris Saint-Germain) – Ivory Coast
Wilfried Bony (Manchester City FC) – Ivory Coast
Yacine Brahimi (FC Porto) – Algeria
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (FC Schalke 04) – Cameroon
Yaya Touré (Manchester City FC) – Ivory Coast
Lacina Traoré (AS Monaco FC) – Ivory Coast