What Mohamed Salah is doing currently is not something many players in the history of football can boast about. The Egyptian is writing history of Liverpool and is steadily paving his way towards the legends of English and European football.His hat-trick against Manchester United two days ago brought his account to 107 goals in the English top tier, over-taking Didier Drogba as most prolific African scorer in arguably the best football league in the world. In those terms, let’s check what is the impact of African strikers on the most attractive European leagues so far.All of these players are considered legend of their respectable national teams, no doubt. Thus we will focus on their accomplishments as club goal-machines.We have mentioned Salah and we will get back to him later. After all, he will surely fill the headlines some more.##EDITORS_CHOICE##***LA LIGA – SAMUEL ETO’OIn Spain, he is almost a house hold name. He was a member of both El Clasico teams (truth be told, he only made three La Liga appearances for Real Madrid) but reached stardom with Barcelona. Samuel Eto’o’s performances in Mallorca recommended him to the Catalan giants who he joined in 2004.Incredible movement without the ball and the ability to be at the right place in the right time potentiated the Cameroonian – altogether Eto’o scored 162 goals in the Spanish elite (108 for Barcelona and 54 for Mallorca prior) in 280 games.Wed, 27/10, 20.00: (4.60) RAYO VALLECANO (3.70) BARCELONA (1.85)Strong, fast, hardworking, and great in teamwork, he also contributed his teammates in La Liga with 35 assists. One of the most responsible for Barcelona’s glory period during which his partnership with Ronaldinho made most become fans of the Camp Nou club.The Indomitable Lions legend is followed by Frederic Kanoute of Mali who scored 89 times while wearing the shirt of Sevilla (209 Primera Division appearances) and Nigerian Christopher Ohen who netted 42 times while playing for once respected Compostela side.***BUNDESLIGA – PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANGGerman league has been ‘monopolized’ by Bayern Munich but African strikers found their form there while representing other clubs. Holding the record for most goals by an African in Bundesliga – current Arsenal and Gabon captain, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. His spell at Borussia Dortmund was quite a fruitful one – in 144 matches for the Millionaires Auba scored 98 times as set his teammates up to score with 22 assists. Incredible stats. His utilizing of Shinji Kagawa’s and Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s final third passes made him a menace for Bundesliga defenses back in the day.Tue, 26/10, 21.00: (1.13) DORTMUND (9.50) INGOLSTADT (16.00)Not far behind the Panthers’ skipper stands Anthony Yeboah with 96 goals in German top-tier. Ghanaian forward played 223 Bundesliga games (as member of Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburger SV) in the final years of 1990s. At around the same time, Jonathan Akpoborie established himself as a big threat to defenders in the German elite league – he stands as third best African striker with 60 goals he managed to score while being a member of Wolfsubrg, Hansa Rostock and Stuttgart.***SERIE A – GEORGE WEAHHow to upgrade your career path if you are a Ballon d’Or winner? You become a president of your home country after retiring from football. The only man to manage to do so is the former Liberain super striker and current head of state, George Weah.Back in his playing days in AC Milan, he was as productive as one can be – 114 games, 46 goals and 33 assists and his goal tally is still the highest for an African in Italy’s top league. Weah joined AC Milan in 1995, with whom he immediately won the Italian league in 1996 under Fabio Capello, playing alongside Roberto Baggio and Dejan Savićević in Milan’s attack, finishing the season as Milan’s top goalscorer.Tue, 26/10, 21.45: (1.67) AC MILAN (3.90) TORINO (5.90)His achievements made a huge impact on how African footballers are viewed by world class scouts and agents. And so, Serie A saw more great scorers from the African continent – with 40 goals, Ivorian Gervinho follows the Liberian. His goals for AS Roma and Parma brought him close to Weah but Gervinho departed Italian football and is currently playing in Turkey.With a similar path (still active and moved from Italy to Turkey), Senegalese Khouma Boubacar only has one goal less than Gervinho – the 28-year-old scored those while playing for Lecce, Sassuolo and Fiorentina. There is a chance he might return to Italy from Alanyaspor (on loan from Sassuolo) and break Weah’s Serie A African record.***LIGUE 1 – MAMADOU NIANGA ‘century’ of goals scored by an African in French top tier is something only Senegalese scoring expert Mamadou Niang can brag about. He is most loved by fans of Olympique Marseille where he scored 71 goals – remaining 29 came while wearing shirts of Strasbourg and Troyes. Niang imposed himself as one of the best strikers in Europe between 2005 and 2010 while playing for the club from Velodrome.Apart from Niang, Ligue 1 was affected by another African forward – Congolese Shabani Nonda. During his episodes with Rennes and Monaco, now-retired striker netter 88 goals. Following the two is a name we already mentioned – George Weah. Before Italy, Weah proved himself in French football – his 83 goals in Ligue 1 (with Marseille, PSG and Monaco) are another admirable achievement of the Liberian legend.***PREMIER LEAGUE – MOHAMED SALAHAnd so, we come back to the ‘Pharaoh’ – Mohamed Salah. During the ongoing campaign, the 29-year-old just keeps on giving. – his incredible solo goals against Man City and Watford brought up the question is he the best footballer in the world at the moment. Answer to that question – hat-trick against fierce rivals Man United.Salah opened his Premier League scoring account with Chelsea (two goals) but the Egyptian was overshadowed at Stamford Bridge by the huge talent-filled roster under Jose Mourinho.After his successful Italian adventure with Fiorentina and Roma, Salah came back to England and began his rise to stardom at Anfield. So far Salah has scored 105 Premier League goals for the Reds and will surely heighten the number, given his current form. Altogether, he has 167 appearances in English top tier, with 107 goals and 43 assists. And counting! Mind blowing…With his latest hat-trick, Salah leapfrogged Ivory Coast and Chelsea hero – Didier Drogba. The Ivorian long held the record for the most successful African goalscorer in Premier League with 104 goals. He will most certainly be passed by another African player wearing a Liverpool shirt – Senegalese Sadio Mane. Mane currently stands at a round 100 (not one scored from the penalty spot!) and his competitiveness will push him to go after Salah’s record also. Battle of the African snipers in England continues.Wed, 27/10, 21.45: (8.00) PRESTON (5.30) LIVERPOOL (1.35)
