At the individual level, former Cameroon captain Samuel Eto’o remains the competition’s all-time leading scorer with 18 goals, a record that reflects his consistency across multiple tournament appearances. Eto’o’s tally places him ahead of Ivorian great Laurent Pokou, who scored 14 goals and still holds one of the most iconic records in AFCON history.
Nigeria’s Rashidi Yekini, remembered as one of Africa’s most feared strikers, sits third on the all-time scorers’ list with 13 goals. He is closely followed by Egypt’s Hassan El Shazly, who netted 12 goals and also features prominently among the tournament’s historic achievers. The list of elite scorers is completed by Patrick Mboma of Cameroon, Egypt’s Hossam Hassan and Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba, each with 11 goals to their name.
AFCON records also highlight extraordinary single-game and single-tournament performances. Laurent Pokou holds the record for the most goals scored in a single match, after finding the net five times against Ethiopia during the 1970 tournament. Meanwhile, the record for most goals in a single AFCON edition belongs to Ndaye Mulamba of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who scored nine goals at the 1974 tournament, a feat that remains unmatched.
In terms of individual brilliance across multiple editions, Hassan El Shazly stands out as the player with the most hat-tricks in AFCON history, recording two — achieved in the 1963 and 1970 tournaments.
On the team front, Egypt leads the chart for total goals scored in AFCON history, with 175 goals, reinforcing their status as the most successful nation in the competition. Ivory Coast follows with 152 goals, while Nigeria ranks third with 146. Cameroon and Ghana complete the top five, having scored 142 and 138 goals respectively over the years.
These statistics not only celebrate individual excellence but also reflect the dominance and attacking traditions of Africa’s football powerhouses. As AFCON continues to evolve, these long-standing records remain key reference points for measuring greatness on the continent’s biggest football stage.
Africa Cup of Nations leading scorers:
Individuals
18: Samuel Eto’o (CMR)
14: Laurent Pokou (CIV)
13: Rashidi Yekini (NGR)
12: Hassan El Shazly (EGY)
11: Patrick Mboma (CMR), Hossam Hassan (EGY), Didier Drogba (CIV)
Most goals in a match
5: Pokou (v Ethiopia, 1970)
Most in a tournament
9: Ndaye Mulamba (COD, 1974)
Most hat-tricks
2: El Shazly (1963, 1970)
Teams
175: Egypt
152: Ivory Coast
146: Nigeria
142: Cameroon
138: Ghana