Sport

Europa League final: Ranking Africa's greatest winners

Youssef En-Nesyri
The Morocco striker was a Europa League winner with Sevilla in 2020, as they defeated Internazionale 3-2 in the Cologne final.

En-Nesyri may not have found the net in the final itself, but he did find the net twice during his maiden campaign in continental competition.


Bonaventure Kalou
Salomon Kalou may have left Chelsea the summer before their Europa League success, but his brother Bonaventure did win the tournament for the family some 11 years before the Blues’ triumph in the competition.

The elder Kalou was part of the Feyenoord team that dispatched Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a gripping final in Rotterdam in 2022, three years after the Ivorian wideman had won the Dutch title with The Pride of the South.


Stephen Mbia
Mbia bounced back in style after a disastrous spell in English football with Queens Park Rangers, by escaping to Sevilla—initially on loan—in 2013.

He spent two fruitful seasons with the Spanish heavyweights, notably winning the Europa League title in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015.

Victor Moses
Moses only truly established himself at Chelsea in the 2016-17 season, when he became a key figure in Antonio Conte’s first team as the Blues won the Premier League title.

It became easy to forget just how peripheral Moses used to be at Stamford Bridge during the previous seasons as he finally made a niche for himself at the club, before eventually being sent out on loan after Conte's departure.

He actually won the Europa League back in 2013, less than a year after signing for the club, playing 10 games and scoring five for the West Londoners en route to the title.

He was part of the Chelsea squad that won the title in 2019 - although he wasn't part of the matchday squad - and was a defeated finalist with Internazionale.


Mohamed Sissoko
The midfield powerhouse ultimately lost his way at Liverpool after sustaining a serious eye injury, but it was nonetheless testament to his quality that he went on to play for both Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.

He won the Uefa Cup during a magnificent 2003-04 season with Valencia, in which they also lifted the Spanish title.


Thomas Partey
Partey may have fallen short in the 2016 Champions League final as Atletico Madrid were defeated by fierce city rivals Real, but he did still achieve European success with the Rojiblancos.

In 2018, the Ghana powerhouse was part of the Atleti side that trounced Olympique de Marseille 3-0 in the final in Lyon, coming off the bench in a thoroughly one-sided competition.

Now at Arsenal, will there be further continental success in his future?

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