Mohamed Salah has long established himself as Egypt’s biggest star, consistently making an impact for the national team in World Cup qualifying. In his latest outing, he added another milestone to his remarkable career, becoming the all-time top scorer in African World Cup qualifiers, pulling ahead of legends like Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, and Sadio Mané.
Chasing a spot at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Egypt faced Djibouti on Matchday 9 of the CAF qualifiers. Salah found the net twice — in the 14th and 84th minutes — to lead Egypt to a 3–0 victory. The win kept the Pharaohs atop Group A and secured their ticket to next year’s tournament.
Those two goals also cemented Salah’s place in history as the leading scorer in CAF World Cup qualifying. In 29 appearances for Egypt, the Liverpool forward has now tallied 20 goals — the first player ever to reach that mark — along with 12 assists.
Where do legends Eto’o, Drogba, and Mané stand?
While no African nation has yet lifted the World Cup trophy, the continent has produced world-class strikers who’ve made their mark on the global stage. Among them are Champions League winners and African icons such as Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, and Salah’s former Liverpool teammate, Sadio Mané.
Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, and Senegal’s Sadio Mane.
Samuel Eto’o built one of the most successful careers in European soccer, winning four Champions League titles with Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Inter Milan. Leading Cameroon to the 2002, 2010, and 2014 World Cups, Eto’o scored 18 goals in 29 qualifying matches — ranking second all-time in Africa.
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Another striker who defined an era, especially in the Premier League with Chelsea, was Didier Drogba. The Ivorian great also scored 18 goals, achieving that mark in just 19 qualifiers. Alongside Eto’o and Algerian forward Islam Slimani, Drogba once shared the top spot — until Salah surpassed them all.
As for Sadio Mané, the Senegalese forward — and Salah’s former teammate at Liverpool — remains his nation’s all-time top scorer with 44 goals, a full 26 ahead of the next player. However, in World Cup qualifying, Mané sits further down the list, ranking 16th overall with 9 goals in 29 matches.
