FACT: Samuel Eto’o not the most decorated African player ever

Cameroon and Barcelona legend Samuel Eto’o Fils may have called himself the greatest African player ever, a claim a few believe to be true.

While others, would differ to his claim of ‘African GOAT’ because of players like; George Weah who was identified by IFFHS as the greatest ever; Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Rabah Madjah, Kanu Nwankwo, Abedi Pele Ayew, Hossan Hassan, Roger Milla etc.

Although, Samuel Eto’o was rebuffing Didier Drogba and Diouf’s African GOAT claims; he also stated clearly that his records show he is the greatest to have ever done it in Africa.

If your criteria for judging who the African GOAT is by FIFA World Best, then George Weah who is the only African to ever won the Ballon d’Or and World Best would be the greatest ever.

But if you looking at trophies won for both clubs and country only or plus individual awards is Samuel Eto’o Fils the greatest?

Lets take a look at the list of two most decorated African players counting the major titles and individual awards.

2. Samuel Eto’o

Samuel Eto’o won a total of major 15 titles for both clubs (Marlorca, Barcelona and Inter Milan) and country. He has garnered a total of 30 individual awards.

See breakdown here:

Club
(2) Copa del Rey: 2002–03, 2008–09
(3) La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09
(3) UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10
(1) Serie A: 2009–10
(2) Coppa Italia: 2009–10, 2010–11
(1) FIFA Club World Cup: 2010

International
Cameroon
(2) African Cup of Nations: 2000, 2002
(1) Olympic Gold Medal: 2000

Individual
(1) Young African Player of the Year: 2000
(4) African Player of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010
(4) ESM Team of the Year: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11
(1) FIFA World Player of the Year Bronze Award: 2005
(2) FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2006
(2) UEFA Team of the Year: 2005, 2006
(6) CAF Team of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
(1) Pichichi Trophy: 2005–06
(1) UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2005–06
(2) African Cup of Nations top goalscorer: 2006, 2008
(1) UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2006
(1) FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2010
(1) Coppa Italia top goalscorer: 2010–11
(1) Russian Premier League MVP Award: 2012–13
(1) Golden Foot: 2015
(1) Globe Soccer Player Career Award: 2016

Records
African Cup of Nations all-time top goalscorer
RCD Mallorca all-time top goalscorer
Cameroon all-time top goalscorer

1. Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba won a total of 14 titles with no major success at the national team. All the titles he won were at Chelsea and Galatasaray. He also gannered a total of 35 major individual awards.

Check here:

Clubs

(4) Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15
(4) FA Cup: 2006–07,2008–09,2009–10,2011–12
(3) Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07,2014–15;
(1) UEFA Champions League: 2011–12
(1) Süper Lig: 2012–13
(1) Turkish Cup: 2013–14

Individual

(3) Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2006,2008,2012
(2) African Footballer of the Year: 2006,2009
(1)Alan Hardaker Trophy: 2007
Ballon d’Or: (4th place) 2007
(1) BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2009
(1) CAF Team of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012
(1) Chelsea Players’ Player of the Year: 2007
(1) Chelsea Player of the Year: 2010
(1) ESM Team of the Year: 2006–07
(1) FA Community Shield Man of the Match: 2005
(1) FA Cup Final Man of the Match: 2010
(1) FIFA FIFPro World XI 5th team: 2013
FIFA World Player of the Year: 2005 (10th place), 2006 (6th place), 2007 (4th place), 2009 (6th place)
(1) FIFPro World XI: 2007
(1) FWA Tribute Award: 2015
(1) Golden Foot: 2013
(3) Ivory Coast Player of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2012
(1) Ligue 1 Goal of the Year: 2003–04
(2) Ligue 1 Player of the Month: January 2004, May 2004
(1) Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2003–04
(1) Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2003–04
(1) MLS All-Star: 2016
(1) MLS Player of the Month: September 2015, October 2015
(1) Montreal Impact Top Scorer: 2015
(1) Onze d’Or: 2004
(1) Premier League Golden Boot: 2006–07, 2009–10
(2) PFA Team of the Year: 2006–07 Premier League,2009–10 Premier League
Time Top 100: 2010
(1) Turkish Footballer of the Year: 2013
UEFA Best Player in Europe Award: 7th place 2012
(1) UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match: 2012
(1) UEFA Team of the Year: 2007
UNFP Trophy of Honour: 2019

Records

Chelsea
Most goals scored by a non-English player: 164 goals
Most goals scored in FA Cup Finals: 4 goals
Most goals scored in Football League Cup Finals: 4 goals
Most goals scored in Cup Finals: 9 goals
Most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League: 36 goals
Most goals scored in international games as a Chelsea player: 46 goals
Most Premier League hat-tricks: 3
Most Premier League goals in a season: 29 (2009–10)
Most Premier League Golden Boot wins: 2 (2006–07 and 2009–10)
Most goals in all competitions in a season by a foreign player: 37
Most Champions League hat-tricks: 1

English Domestic
The only player to ever both score in and win both English domestic cup finals in the same season[271]
The only player to score in three League Cup finals
The only player to score in four FA Cup finals

Europe
Most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League by an African player: 44 goals.
Most appearances in Champions League by an African player: 94 matches.
Most goals scored for an English team in the Champions League: 36 goals with Chelsea.
One of eleven players to score hat-tricks for multiple clubs in the Champions League.

Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast all-time top scorer: 65 goals
First Ivory Coast goal at FIFA World Cup (v. Argentina, 10 June 2006)
Most Ivory Coast Player of the Year wins: 3 (2006, 2007 and 2012)

Premier League
Most goals scored in the Premier League by an African player: 104 goals.
Most assists in the Premier League by an African player: 54 assists.
Most goals and assists combined for with another player: 36 with Frank Lampard.
One of seven players to score an opening weekend hat-trick.
One of six players to score a hat-trick in consecutive games

You can go on and on analysing the relevance of the awards won by both players or the difficulty level of the title won. Talk about their contribution for the national teams but if you are only considering total awards and titles won 49 is greater than 45.

PS: All stats stated here were pulled from Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba‘s wiki.