By Caleb Ayemere With the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers set to begin, attention will turn to the players who have consistently delivered goals during the competition’s qualifying campaigns. Ahead of the latest qualification series, a review of all-time AFCON qualifying statistics shows the leading scorers to have emerged from several generations of African football, with Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen, Sadio Mané and other established stars featuring prominently.
The ranking below is based on statistics compiled by Transfermarkt for AFCON qualifying matches and highlights the players with the most goals in the history of the qualifiers. 1. Mohamed Salah (Egypt) — 20 Goals Egypt’s captain debuted in qualifying cycles in 2011. Over seven qualifying campaigns, Salah’s consistency helped cement Egypt’s position as the most successful nation in AFCON history, leading to his status as the highest-scoring player in preliminary history.
The Egyptian skipper leads the all-time qualifying records. Combining longevity with world-class consistency, Salah’s 20 preliminary strikes have helped power Egypt’s presence in international football throughout his international career. 2. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) — 17 Goals Emerging as Nigeria’s premier striker, Osimhen achieved his tally of 17 qualifying goals in just 16 matches. Nigeria’s star frontman boasts an unprecedented goal-per-game record in AFCON qualifiers, averaging more than a goal every time he features in preliminary fixtures. 3.
Sadio Mané (Senegal) — 15 Goals Mane Since making his international debut, Mané has served as the focal point of Senegal’s national team. His 15 qualifier goals over 35 matches fueled Senegal’s qualification runs, culminating in their 2021 AFCON title victory. A pivotal figure in Senegal’s national team setup, Mané has delivered 15 crucial qualifying goals over seven campaign appearances. 4.
Knowledge Musona (Zimbabwe) — 15 GoalsAppearances: 23 Nicknamed “The Smiling Assassin,” Musona anchored Zimbabwe’s national team attack for over a