African Football clubs surely have natured some of the greatest talents in the sports history over the years. The endless list of players who started in African Clubs include the likes of Roger Milla, George Weah, Abedi Pele, Jay Jay Okocha, Samuel Etto, Patrick M’boma, to mention but a few. Ever wondered how your favorite African team fares against the others on the continent, basing on current performance, consistency and points accumulated over time, here is a review of the best ten clubs on the continent.
- Cotton Sport. Cameroon.
Our countdown starts with Cameroonian Cotton Sport Fc. It was founded in 1986 and played in the lower leagues for around seven years. After getting a promotion to the Cameroonian Premier League, the Cottoners have dominated the league winning it a record 14 times. Despite their domestic success, they have only managed a runners-up spot in CAF Champions League.
- El Zamalek. Egypt.
Next on our list is the Gizza based club that was founded in 1919. It changed its names sometimes before settling with Zamalek SC after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. ZSC has won more CAF cups than any other African team in the Twentieth Century. They have also gone on to win 22 Egyptian Cups, 11 league titles, and an African Cup Winners Cup. Their main rival is Al Ahly with whom they share Cairo.
- Al Hilal Omdurman. Sudan.
The Omdurman-based club also deserves to make our list. The team has won the Sudanese Premier League 27 times, winning it an impressive seven times in the last nine seasons. They have also won the Sudan Cup six times and the Khartoum league 16 times. With 29 CAF Champions League appearances, its Sudan’s most successful football team. It is the first team to be named AL_ HILAL.
- Al Ahly. Egypt
The second Egyptian based Club on our list. Al Ahly is the most successful club in Egypt. They have won the Egyptian Premier League 38 times, nine national super cups and 35 national cups. On the continental level, with over 20 international titles, Al Alhy is considered the most successful club in the world. In 2005, Al Hyl had a perfect season going 55 matches unbeaten and winning five out of the six trophies that year.
- A S Vita Club. Congo.
The Congolese club also qualifies to be on this list. Association Sportive Vita Club founded in 1935 have won the Coup du Congo nine times, The Lina foot 12 times and two international trophies. The Kinshasa-based Club are the current Lina foot Champions.
- Al-Merreikh. Sudan
This Omdurman-based club is one of the oldest clubs in Africa having been founded in 1908. Locally known as the Red Devils, Al-Merreikh has won the Sudan Premier League 20 times and the Sudan cup 24 times. They play their home games at their 45,000 seated Al-Merrikh stadium.
- Mamelodi Sundowns. SouthAfrica
Pretoria-based Mamelodi Sundowns that plays in the Premier League have won the league title a record seven times since the inception of the PSL in 1996. The club is nicknamed, The Brazilians which is a reference to their uniforms, which echo those of the Brazilian national team. The team is owned by South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe.
- Tout Puissant Mazembe. DR Congo
T.P Mazembe formerly known as Englebert is probably one of the richest and biggest clubs in Africa. Its annual income of around €14 million makes it easy to compete for the best players on the market maintain consistency in their performances. The Congolese Lubumbashi-based club plays its games at 18,000 seated Stade TP Mazembe. The Ravens are the only African team to play a FIFA World Cup final in 2010.
- Esperance de Tunis- Tunisia.
The Tunis-based club Esperance comes in second on our list. They have won the Tunisian league a record 26 times. Adding to that, Esperance has gone ahead to win the Tunisian Cup 14 times, the Tunisian Super Cup twice and the CAF Champions League twice. They play their matches at the Stade Olympique del Menzah. Such a rich history dating as back as 1919 makes them one of the best clubs on the continent.
- Etoile du Sahel. Tunisia.
At number one is Tunisia’s Etoile Du Sahel. The Sousse-based club is one of the only two clubs, (the other being Juventus) in the world, to have won all continental club competitions organized by their respective confederations and the only one to have won all African Competitions. The sports club also has sections for handball, basketball, judo and wrestling. Etoile has won 10 Tunisian League Titles,10 Tunisian Cups, one Tunisian League Cup and three Tunisian Domestic cups on the domestic level. It also won an African Champions League, two CAF Confederation Cups, two CAF cups, and two African Super Cups. It’s consistency in the last few years makes it the best club in Africa right now.
