10 African Footballers who Faded Away

African football has revealed several big names both nationally and internationally. From George Weah to Didier Drogba to Mohamed Salah, some have managed to keep their performance consistent throughout their careers.

Others, unfortunately, initially displayed the potential of being a success but have experienced several setbacks which ultimately disrupted their development. In this article, we list 10 African footballers who just didn’t deliver on their promise:

10- Junior Agogo

After what transpired in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Ghana believed they had the striker of the decade. Unfortunately, Junior Agogo quickly lost his way in the career choices he made.

READ ALSO: 5 Nigerian footballers who faded away after enjoying promising breakouts

The player started his career with Sheffield Wednesday, then moved to the United States for two moving passing through Apollon Limassol before losing himself permanently in the Scottish Championship. Junior Agogo died in 2019, leaving a taste of the unfinished business in the hearts of supporters.

9- Razak Omotoyossi

Razak Omotoyossi has had a career wasted by his short stints at various football clubs. The Beninese side’s second-best scorer stood out in the 2005 Junior World Cup. After transferring through various clubs and more than 15 unsuccessful championships later, the striker recently returned home. A real mess.

8- Mohamed Zidan

Winner of the 2008 Cup of Nations with Egypt, we expected a lot from the Egyptian attacker. After having signed a contract with Borussia Dortmund, fans thought that he had finally been recognized for his talent. However, the player’s popularity soon took a fall with the arrival of Robert Lewandowski in 2010.

7- Asamoah Gyan

Asamoah Gyan is Africa’s top scorer in the World Cup but has never been able to win at club level. We all remember the missed penalty in 2010 against Uruguay. Since then, the forward has transferred between many clubs and leagues but with no real success. He recently returned to his country and announced retirement.

6- Alexandre Song

The former FC Barcelona and Arsenal player fell from grace very quickly. At one point, he was considered one of the best midfielders in the world, as it is indicated on this website but was one of the 9 players recently sacked by Sion after refusing to take a pay cut in relation to the pandemic that has plagued the world. At 33 now, the player is playing in the Djibouti championship but could have dreamed of a much better career.

5- Wilfried Bony

The Ivory Coast witnessed Wilfried Bony’s debut with great anticipation. Once considered to be the future successor of Didier Drogba, Wilfried Bony somehow just did not live up to the expectations fans had from him. Since 2017 and his departure from Manchester City, the player has become a shadow of himself.

The last club he was playing for was Al-Ittihad, but in November 2020, he announced that the club and him had mutually agreed to terminate his contract.

4- Jonathan Pitroipa

Fans of Ligue 1 are all aware of who Jonathan Pitroipa is. The slender attacking midfielder dazzled the championship with his talent and skills. The Burkinabé player has also managed to reach the CAN final. Unfortunately, he wasn’t consistent with his performance and is currently playing in French Ligue 2 with Paris FC.

3- Papiss Cissé

Papiss Cissé’s career progression has been somewhat disappointing for the Senegalese. Having scored 16 goals in 38 appearances for the Metz, fans were confident he would be a force to reckon with. After playing 5 seasons as a part of Newcastle, both his performance and popularity dipped after he joined Shandong Luneng in 2016.

2- Yannick Bolasie

This talented winger is having a complicated season in England. Left out of Everton’s pro squad, hard times follow lie ahead for the former Crystal Palace player. Gifted with excellent technique, Yannick had everything to establish himself as one of the best players on the continent.

Unfortunately, an excruciating ligament injury derailed his career. Even after having recovered from the injury, the player never managed to bring his performance back to his previous level.

1- Anthony Annan

Anthony Annan came into limelight after his stellar performance in the 2010 World Cup. The impact his early career made coupled with his vision for the game could have opened the doors to a wonderful career for him. After 4 years in Schalke 04, the player abruptly made a switch to Schalke 04 in 2011.

An injury in 2016 led to him not playing for quite some time, and he failed to renew his contract with HJK. He then went on to play for the Israeli Premier League and is currently playing for Beitar Jerusalem.