Famous Black Football Players

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 1 
Kylian Mbappé
(French Football Forward - Considered One of the Best Players in the World)
Kylian Mbappé
125
Birthdate: December 20, 1998
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Paris, France

Regarded as one of the best footballers of the current generation, Kylian Mbappé became only the second teenager to score a goal in the final game of a World Cup. Known for his explosive speed and dribbling skills, Mbappé made an impact at a young age. Very mature for his age, he also believes in giving back to society.

 2 
Patrick Vieira
(French Professional Football Manager and Former Player)
Patrick Vieira
48
Birthdate: June 23, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Dakar, Senegal

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.

 3 
Romelu Lukaku
(Belgian Professional Football Player Who Plays as a Striker)
Romelu Lukaku
60
Birthdate: May 13, 1993
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium

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.

 4 
Mario Balotelli
(Italian Football Player Who Plays as a Striker)
Mario Balotelli
42
Birthdate: August 12, 1990
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Palermo, Italy
The talented but crazy Italian striker Mario Balotelli is one of the most intriguing and exciting footballers around. Love him or hate him, TIME Magazine in 2013 called him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
 5 
George Weah
(25th President of Liberia and the First African Former Professional Footballer to Become a Head of State.)
George Weah
26
Birthdate: October 1, 1966
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Clara Town, Liberia
George Weah, who has been the president of Liberia since 2018, was once a star footballer. The striker was named the 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year, and played for clubs such as A.C. Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. Following his retirement, he established the Congress for Democratic Change.
 6 
Jesse Lingard
(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as an Attacking Midfielder)
Jesse Lingard
24
Birthdate: December 15, 1992
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Warrington, England
Manchester United winger and attacking midfielder Jesse Lingard has won several championships with his team, such as the UEFA Europa League, the FA Community Shield, the FA Cup, and the EFL Cup. He was also part of the English national team which finished fourth at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
 7 
Patrick Kluivert
(Retired Dutch Football Striker)
Patrick Kluivert
15
Birthdate: July 1, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Patrick Kluivert was one of the star Dutch footballers of his time who played as a striker for clubs such as Ajax, Barcelona, and AC Milan. The UEFA Euro 2000 Golden Boot winner has also managed teams such as Netherlands and Cameroon. He later held administrative positions at Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

 8 
Lilian Thuram
(French Professional Footballer Who Played as a Defender)
Lilian Thuram
26
Birthdate: January 1, 1972
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, France

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.

 9 
Ruud Gullit
(One of the Greatest Football Players of All Time)
Ruud Gullit
14
Birthdate: September 1, 1962
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ruud Gullit is a Dutch former football player. Considered one of the greatest players in the history of football, Gullit was known for his versatility as he could play as an attacking midfielder, forward, or midfielder. During the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship, he led his national team to its first title.

 10 
Ansu Fati
(Spanish Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Forward)
Ansu Fati
5
Birthdate: October 31, 2002
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 11 
Marcelo
(Brazilian Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Left-Back)
Marcelo
7
Birthdate: May 12, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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.

 12 
Yaya Touré
(Ivorian Professional Football Coach and Former Player Who Played as a Midfielder)
Yaya Touré
11
Birthdate: May 13, 1983
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bouaké, Ivory Coast
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 13 
Sadio Mané
(Senegalese Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Forward)
Sadio Mané
40
Birthdate: April 10, 1992
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bambali, Senegal

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.

 14 
Raheem Sterling
(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Winger and Attacking Midfielder)
Raheem Sterling
17
Birthdate: December 8, 1994
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica

Professional footballer Raheem Sterling currently plays as a winger and attacking midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City. He also plays for the England national team. Born in Jamaica, he moved to England as a child and started playing professional football when he was a teenager. He was named the FWA Footballer of the Year in the 2018-19 season.

 15 
Vincent Kompany
(Retired Belgian Football Centre-Back)
Vincent Kompany
12
Birthdate: April 10, 1986
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Uccle, Belgium

Considered one of the fittest central defenders of the world, retired Belgian footballer Vincent Kompany had a successful stint with Manchester City, winning 4 Premier League titles, among other championships, with them. Post-retirement, the star footballer had turned to coaching and now manages the English club Burnley.

 16 
David Alaba
(Austrian Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder and Defender)
David Alaba
13
Birthdate: June 24, 1992
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria

David Alaba is an Austrian football player who currently plays for the Real Madrid Club de Fútbol and the Austria national football team. Best known for his versatility, Alaba can play as a midfielder and defender. Counted among the greatest defenders of his generation, David Alaba is a two-time Austrian Sports Personality of the Year recipient.  

 17 
Virgil van Dijk
(Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Virgil van Dijk
18
Birthdate: July 8, 1991
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Breda, Netherlands

Dutch footballer Virgil van Dijk plays as a defender for Liverpool and has won several titles, such as a Premier League, with them. Starting his senior career with Groningen, he later played for teams such as Celtic and Southampton. He is the only defender to be named the UEFA Men's Player of the Year.

 18 
Marcel Desailly
(French Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Centre-Back)
Marcel Desailly
13
Birthdate: September 7, 1968
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Accra, Ghana

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

 19 
Ian Wright
(Former Professional Footballer: Now a Television and Radio Personality )
Ian Wright
23
Birthdate: November 3, 1963
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Woolwich, London, United Kingdom

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.

 20 
Wilfried Zaha
(Ivorian Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Left Winger or a Forward)
Wilfried Zaha
9
Birthdate: November 10, 1992
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 21 
Jérôme Boateng
(German Football Defender Known for His Association with 'Bayern Munich')
Jérôme Boateng
28
Birthdate: September 3, 1988
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany

Starting his career with the club Tennis Borussia Berlin, German footballer Jérôme Boateng later had a decade-long association with Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga 9 times and the UEFA Champions League twice with Bayern. The talented center-back was also part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup-winning German squad.

 22 
Benjamin Mendy
(French Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Left-Back)
Benjamin Mendy
21
Birthdate: July 17, 1994
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Longjumeau, France
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 23 
Tammy Abraham
(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Striker)
Tammy Abraham
22
Birthdate: October 2, 1997
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Camberwell, England

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. 

 24 
Édouard Mendy
(Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Goalkeeper)
Édouard Mendy
7
Birthdate: March 1, 1992
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Montivilliers, France
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 25 
Alphonso Davies
(Canadian Professional Soccer Player Who Plays as a Left-Back or Winger)
Alphonso Davies
2
Birthdate: November 2, 2000
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Buduburam, Ghana
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 26 
Douglas Costa
(Brazilian Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Winger)
Douglas Costa
10
Birthdate: September 14, 1990
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Sapucaia do Sul, Brazil
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 27 
Jay-Jay Okocha
(Nigerian Former Professional Footballer Who Played as an Attacking Midfielder)
Jay-Jay Okocha
13
Birthdate: August 14, 1973
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Enugu, Nigeria
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 28 
Antonio Valencia
(Football player)
Antonio Valencia
7
Birthdate: August 4, 1985
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nueva Loja, Ecuador
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 29 
Samuel Umtiti
(French Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Samuel Umtiti
17
Birthdate: November 14, 1993
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Yaoundé, Cameroon

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. 

 30 
Roger Milla
(Cameroonian Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Forward)
Roger Milla
10
Birthdate: May 20, 1952
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Yaoundé, Cameroon
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 31 
Abedi Pele
(Ghanaian Former Professional Footballer Who Played as an Attacking Midfielder)
Abedi Pele
8
Birthdate: November 5, 1964
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kyebi, Ghana
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 32 
Michael Essien
(Ghanaian Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Midfielder)
Michael Essien
8
Birthdate: December 3, 1982
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Accra, Ghana
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 33 
Kalidou Koulibaly
(French Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Kalidou Koulibaly
8
Birthdate: June 20, 1991
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France

Born to Senegalese parents in France, Kalidou Koulibaly initially played for France U20 and then captained the Senegal national team. He took Senegal to the finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He has often opened up about racism, especially after once being called a “monkey” by a Florentina fan.

 34 
Blaise Matuidi
(French Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Midfielder)
Blaise Matuidi
14
Birthdate: April 9, 1987
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Toulouse, France

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.

 35 
Odion Ighalo
(Nigerian Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Forward)
Odion Ighalo
12
Birthdate: June 16, 1989
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lagos, Nigeria
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 36 
Juan Cuadrado
(Colombian Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder & Defender)
Juan Cuadrado
8
Birthdate: May 26, 1988
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Necoclí, Colombia

Juan Cuadrado is a Colombian football player who has been representing the Colombia national football team since 2010. Renowned for his pace and dribbling skills, Juan Cuadrado is an important player for his national side. He also currently represents the Juventus Football Club and has won many championship titles for the team.

 37 
Freddy Adu
(American Professional Football Attacking Midfielder)
Freddy Adu
12
Birthdate: June 2, 1989
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Tema, Ghana

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.

 38 
Mikel John Obi
(Nigerian Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Defensive Midfielder)
Mikel John Obi
10
Birthdate: April 22, 1987
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Jos, Nigeria
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 39 
Eric Bailly
(Ivorian Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Eric Bailly
9
Birthdate: April 12, 1994
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bingerville, Ivory Coast
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 40 
Georginio Wijnaldum
(Dutch Football Midfielder)
Georginio Wijnaldum
5
Birthdate: November 11, 1990
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Dutch footballer Georginio Wijnaldum plays as a midfielder for the Italian club Roma and the French club Paris Saint-Germain. Starting his youth career with Feyenoord, as the youngest-ever player of the club, he later had successful stints with Liverpool and PSV and was the 2014 FIFA World Cup third-place-winning Dutch squad.

 41 
Moussa Sissoko
(French Professional Footballer Who Plays as Midfielder)
Moussa Sissoko
9
Birthdate: August 16, 1989
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Le Blanc-Mesnil, France

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.  

 42 
Alexander Isak
(Swedish Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Forward)
Alexander Isak
5
Birthdate: September 21, 1999
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Solna, Sweden
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 43 
Leroy Sané
(German Professional Football Player Who Plays as a Winger)
Leroy Sané
18
Birthdate: January 11, 1996
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Essen, Germany

Leroy Sané is a German professional football player who played a prominent role in helping Manchester City win the EFL Cup and the Premier League for which he was named PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2017–18 season. Also an important member of the German national team, Sané can also represent France as he also holds French citizenship.

 44 
Nwankwo Kanu
(Nigerian Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Forward)
Nwankwo Kanu
7
Birthdate: August 1, 1976
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Owerri, Nigeria
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 45 
Thomas Lemar
(French Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)
Thomas Lemar
10
Birthdate: November 12, 1995
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe, France
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 46 
Tyrone Mings
(Football Player)
Tyrone Mings
11
Birthdate: March 13, 1993
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bath, England, UK
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 47 
Xavi Simons
(Dutch Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)
Xavi Simons
3
Birthdate: April 21, 2003
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 48 
Edgar Davids
(Retired Surinamese-Dutch Football Defensive Midfielder)
Edgar Davids
2
Birthdate: March 13, 1973
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paramaribo, Suriname

Born in Suriname, footballer Edgar Davids moved to the Netherlands as an infant and grew up to start his youth football career with Ajax. The retired Dutch defensive midfielder had successful stints with Ajax, Juventus, and Inter Milan. He also played for the Dutch national team, which he now serves as an assistant coach.

 49 
Rafael Leão
(Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Forward)
Rafael Leão
0
Birthdate: June 10, 1999
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Almada, Portugal

Portuguese footballer Rafael Leao began his youth career with Amora and then moved on to teams such as Sporting CP in his senior career. He now represents AC Milan as a winger and is known for his versatility and technical knowledge. He is also known as the Portuguese Mbappe.

 50 
Demba Ba
(Former French Professional Footballer Who Plays as an Forward)
Demba Ba
17
Birthdate: May 25, 1985
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sèvres, France

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.