Famous Black Football Players

Patrick Vieira is a football manager and former footballer. Vieira, who was an important member of the France national team, is currently serving as the manager of Crystal Palace Football Club which competes in the Premier League. Widely regarded as one of the best players of his time, Vieira helped his team win its first FIFA World Cup in 1998.

Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian football player, is known for his goal-scoring abilities. He plays in the forward position and can also play as a winger. He has scored more than 50 international goals while playing for the men’s national team of Belgium. Inter Milan, Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Manchester United are some of the clubs he has played for.

Marcus Rashford is a prominent football player for the Manchester United Football Club and England national team. He became the youngest British footballer to score in his debut match for England. He uses his popularity to fight against issues like child food poverty and homelessness in the United Kingdom. He is often praised for his political activism.

Sadio Mané is one of the greatest Senegalese football players of all time. He is Senegal's fifth all-time top goal-scorer and was named African Footballer of the Year in 2020. One of Liverpool's key players, Sadio serves as an inspiration to youngsters as he succeeded as a footballer in spite of his father forbidding him from playing as a child.

Tammy Abraham is an English footballer. He currently plays as a striker for Serie A club Roma and the England national team. He is an academy graduate of Chelsea and made his first-team debut for the club in 2016. Since then, he has played for Bristol City and Aston Villa, scoring 25 goals in a single campaign for the team. 

Ian Wright is an English former football player. Renowned for his speed, Wright played for popular clubs like Arsenal and helped his national team qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. After retiring from the sport, Wright went on to become a TV and radio personality; he currently contributes as a commentator for ITV Sport and BBC Sport.

Daniel Sturridge is an English football player. During the 2007–08 season, Sturridge made his first-team debut and became the first player in the history to score goals in the Premier League, FA Cup, and FA Youth Cup in the same season. Apart from playing for popular clubs like Chelsea, Sturridge has also represented his national team in prominent tournaments.

Brazilian footballer Marcelo Vieira, who now captains the Spanish club Real Madrid, is known as one of the world’s best left-backs. The Rio-born football star has previously had a successful stint with the Brazilian club Fluminense. He also won Brazil a team bronze and a team silver at the Olympics.

French former footballer Lilian Thuram, who is now a renowned author, with books on racism such as White Thinking to his credit. His 142 appearances for the French national team made him the most capped player of his country, while he was part of the 1998 FIFA World Cup-winning squad.

Born in Ghana, Marcel Desailly first gained attention after moving to the Olympique de Marseille and winning the UEFA Champions League. He then gained fame with AC Milan and Chelsea, and was part of the 1998 World Cup-winning French squad. A BBC Sport pundit post-retirement, he also represents UNICEF. 

Samuel Umtiti is a French football player who currently plays for the France national team and Barcelona. Over the years, Umtiti has helped Barcelona win two La Liga titles and three Copa del Rey. He was part of the 2018 team that won the World Cup; Umtiti scored the only goal to help France beat Belgium in the semi-final match. 

After losing his parents in communal clashes in Nigeria, Victor Moses found home with a foster family in the U.K. Over the years, he has played for top-notch clubs such as Chelsea, winning the Premier League and FA Cup titles. He represented Nigeria in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Freddy Adu is an American soccer player who was touted as the next Pelé when he was 14 years old. However, he did not live up to the expectations and has since been a journeyman, playing for several teams in different countries. He currently plays for Österlen FF, a Swedish Division 1 club. He has also represented his national team.

Moussa Sissoko is a French professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Watford and the France national team. He is known for his ability to play as a box-to-box midfielder in the center of the pitch. He initially played for local clubs and made his professional debut in the 2007–08 season.  

Blaise Matuidi is a French football player who has represented the France national team in prominent tournaments like FIFA World Cups and UEFA European Football Championships. He also played a major role in helping his team win the 2018 World Cup. Referred to as a strong and fierce tackler, Blaise Matuidi is renowned for his energy and physical strength.

Demba Ba is a former professional footballer who played as a striker in several teams, including Chelsea, West Ham United, and Newcastle United. He started playing football as a child and made his first-team debut with the team Rouen in 2005. He has been associated with many clubs since turning professional. He has also played for the Senegal national team. 

Kurt Zouma is a French football player who currently plays for the France national team as well as the West Ham United of Premier League. Zouma, who made his professional debut at the age of 16, was named in the ten most promising young players list by The Observer. Kurt Zouma has won prestigious titles, including two Premier League titles.

Norwegian footballer Joshua King is best known as a forward for Watford. A child prodigy, he began his youth career with Romsås IL at age 6. He has also represented teams such as Manchester United and the Blackburn Rovers. He won the prestigious Gullballen award in 2017.