World football governing body FIFA has named Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha among its top 10 African stars from the recently concluded 2026 World Cup in North America.
The 40-year-old was only known by a few before the start of the tournament but quickly became arguably the most famous player following his heroic performance in Cape Verde’s goalless draw in their first-ever World Cup match against Spain.
FIFA released the rankings on Thursday.
Below is the list of the top 10 African stars
- Vozinha
Vozinha also felt the unexpected fame as his Instagram followers went from 30,000 to 29.5 million during the tournament. Cape Verde managed to reach the round of 32 of the tournament.
2. Yan Diomande
The Ivorian forward is another name on the list after helping Côte d’Ivoire reach the knockout phase of the World Cup for the first time.
Despite not scoring in North America, the 19-year-old lit up matches with direct running, sharp feints, dazzling dribbles, surging bursts down the flank and incisive passing.
3. Amad Diallo
Diallo is another Ivorian named among the top African stars of the World Cup. The Manchester United forward scored two goals in four matches for Côte d’Ivoire in the competition.
Apart from his goals, his ability to retain the ball and threaten the opposition defence was important for the West African country in North America.
4. Azzedine Ounahi
The Moroccan midfielder continued from where he left off at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring two superb goals against Canada four years later to send Morocco into the quarterfinals.
Already central to his side’s play, he broadened his influence further by adding goals to his game.
5. Ismael Saibari
Saibari is another player on the list after becoming the first African player to score in each of his three FIFA World Cup group-stage matches.
His goal in the tournament helped him finish among the top three African scorers at the 2026 edition.
6. Ismaila Sarr
The Crystal Palace striker was arguably the most informed African forward in North America, scoring four goals to finish as CAF top scorer.
Sarr achieved the feat despite Senegal’s underwhelming outing at the World Cup, which saw their campaign ended prematurely in the round of 32.
7. Pape Gueye
The Senegalese midfielder earned a place on the list following his masterclass display in North America, especially in the match against Iraq, where he struck a brace and was subsequently named Superior Player of the Match.
8. Emam Ashour
The 28-year-old became the unexpected sensation for Egypt at the tournament as the Pharaohs reached the knockout phase of the World Cup for the first time in the country’s history.
Ashour scored twice for Egypt in the competition, including in the round of 32 win against Australia. Argentina eventually eliminated Egypt in the last 16.
9. Yoane Wissa
Wissa scored three goals in the World Cup as the Democratic Republic of Congo reached the knockout round for the first time ever.
The Newcastle United forward’s most famous goal in the competition was definitely the equaliser in the group stage match against Portugal, which ended 1-1.
10. Ibrahim Maza
The young Algerian, 20, made a particularly strong impression against Jordan on the second matchday of the group stage, when he was named Superior Player of the Match.
