The Champions League, long revered as the pinnacle of club football, has served as a stage where Africa’s brightest talents have dazzled under the brightest lights in Europe.

History began from the moment Nigeria's Daniel Amokachi found the back of the net for Club Brugge to seal a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow in 1992, becoming the first African to score in the competition to Ghana's Abedi Pelé finishing that same campaign with three goals, the most by an African in a single campaign.

Europe continued to feel the presence of Africans in their premier competition. George Weah also left a significant mark in the 1994-95 edition, scoring seven goals to set a new record as the most by an African in a single UCL campaign, one which would last a decade and a half before being broken.

As Serhou Guirassy delivered never seen before numbers by an African for Borussia Dortmund in the maiden edition of the new UEFA Champions League format, we take a look at five of the best scoring seasons by Africans in the competition's history.

Best Scoring Season By Africans in UCL History 

5. Samuel Eto'o; 8 in 2010-11

Samuel Eto’o’s brilliance in Nerazzurri colours was highlighted by his performances in the Champions League in those two years between 2009 and 2011, one of which ended with the title and the other saw him set a new record for the most goals by an African in a single campaign.

Inter began their title defence in the 2010-11 season with a not so impressive form, but backed by the form of the Cameroonian, they managed to get through the six group games and finished in second place behind Tottenham Hotspur, reaching the last 16.

Eto'o scored seven of his eight goals that campaign in the group stages. The striker scored in round one to make it 2-2, salvaging a point against FC Twente in the Netherlands.

He delivered a hat-trick and assisted one more in a 4-0 victory at home to Werder Bremen in round two, then a brace in a 4-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur in round three, while also assisting the other two goals in a player of the match display.

The four-time CAF Player of the year winner scored his final group goal, and a record equaling seventh goal in form of a consolation as Inter suffered a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in White Hart Lane, before failing to in his next three games.

His final goal of the tournament came in a 3-1 Inter win in Minuch, which saw Leonardo's side overcome a 1-0 first-leg deficit to reach the quarter-finals on away games.

Eto'o, who scored one and assisted the other two, surpassed the record of George Weah (seven goals, the most by an African in a single UEFA Champions League season) set in the 1994-95 season with his eighth goal, which was also his final for Inter in the competition.

He failed to deliver as Inter bowed out of the competition in a 7-2 aggregate loss to German side Schalke 04.

In a season of transition for Inter post-Treble, Eto’o’s contributions in their Champions League campaign stood as a beacon, reaffirming his status among Africa’s greatest exports.

3. Mohamed Salah; 10 goals in 2017-18

Mohamed Salah’s debut season with Liverpool in 2017-18 was one to relish in many ways, and his performance in front of goal in the Champions League was one of the lot.

The Egyptian forward, came in on the back of a stellar season with AS Roma, netted 10 goals en route to the final, becoming the highest-scoring African in a single UCL season at the time.

His explosive pace, deft finishing, and telepathic link-up with Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino transformed Jürgen Klopp’s side into Europe’s most feared attacking unit.

His first came in a home draw with Sevilla in round one. Salah added two more in a 7-0 away win over Maribor and then one more when the Slovenian club visited Anfield for the reverse fixture.

He added one more on the final group game in a 7-0 win over Spartak Moscow, a result that ensured the Reds finished as group winners ahead of Sevilla.

One over the two legs in the round of 16 against Porto and one in each of their quart finals meetings with fellow Premier League club Manchester City took him to eight goals, before concluding his goalscoring in that campaign with a brace in a 5-2 semi-final first-leg win over his former club, AS Roma.

Cristiano Ronaldo eventually claimed the top scorer that year with 15 goals, five more than Mohamed Salah, who tied with his teammates, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

3. Sadio Mané; 10 goals in 2017-18

Sadio Mane shared the journey with Mohamed Salah as they led Liverpool to their first UEFA Champions League final in more than a decade, playing sensational attacking football.

That campaign, which saw the Reds lost to Real Madrid in the final, the club scored a total of 41 goals, which is at least eight more than any other side in the competition that season.

Sadio Mané, just like Salah, produced 10 goals in 13 games, many of which came in his final eight appearances that year. After failing to score in the opening five games, the Senegalese bagged a brace in a 7-0 win over Spartak Moscow in their final group game.

He then followed it up with a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over FC Porto in the first leg of their round of 16 meeting, ensuring Liverpool have no worries for the return leg in Portugal.

Mané scored the final goal in a 3-0 win over Manchester City in the quarter-final first-leg, then one in each leg as the Reds secured their place in the final at the expense of AS Roma in a 7-6 aggregate scoreline.

He added one more in the final, which was not enough as Liverpool suffered a 3-1 loss in Kyiv.

Mané, alongside Mohamed Salah, became the first Africans to reach double digits of goals in a single UEFA Champions League campaign, and sharing the stage for the same club made it even special. Too bad they couldn't mark it with the trophy.

2. Sebastien Haller; 11 goals in 2021-22

By any measure, Sebastien Haller’s 2021-22 UEFA Champions League campaign was nothing short of sensational, as he found the back of the net 11 times to break the record for the most goals by an African in a single campaign.

The Ivorian striker, representing Ajax, achieved this feat in just eight appearances, setting a new benchmark for African forwards in the competition’s storied history before Ajax's round of 16 exit.

The striker kicked off the tournament with four goals in a 5-1 away win at Sporting CP. Haller followed that sensational outing with another goal in a 2-0 home win over Besiktas in round two.

He concluded the first half of the ground round with another goal and a brace of assists as Ajax stormed to a 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund, leaving themselves in a great position to reach the Knockout stages.

Haller was on the scoreboard again in round 4 as Ajax sealed their place in the knockout rounds with a 3-1 win over 10-man Dortmund in Germany. He scored a brace in a 2-1 win at Besiktas, before concluding the group campaign with 10 goals following his penalty to open the scoring in a 4-2 home win over Sporting CP.

Few had predicted such an impact, yet Haller’s consistency silenced doubters and placed him in rarefied continental company. He led on goals after the conclusion of the group stages but could only add one more in the round of 16 against Benfica, who progressed 3-2 on aggregate.

After Ajax exited, Haller was eventually overtaken by Karim Benzema, 15 and Robert Lewandowski, 13, who took first and second place respectively, ahead of the Ivorian in third.

1. Serhou Guirassy; 13 goals in 2024-25

Serhou Guirassy rewrite history in the maiden edition of the new UEFA Champions League format. It however, remains to be seen if it is the number of games that helped him dethrone Sebastien Haller.

The striker, in his first season with Borussia Dortmund had a sensational campaign, producing an astonishing 13 goals, including five against Barcelona, who are one of the best defensive side in Europe at the time.

2024-25 is unarguably BVB's worst season in recent memories, yet, the Guinean was able to fashion something worthy of it for himself, registering 17 goal involvement before the quarter-final exit in a 5-3 aggregate loss to Barcelona.

It all started with a late penalty away at club Brugge in round one, Guirassy returned a brace in round two as BVB thrashed Celtic 7-1 in Dortmund.

The goals dried for a couple of games, but the former Stuttgart man returned to score again in round five, coming off the bench to seal a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia.

Guirassy followed that performance with a brace in a 3-2 home loss to Barcelona, one in a 2-1 defeat at Bologna then a powerful brace in a 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donesk in their final group game, ensuring a top 10 finish for the Black and Yellow Wall.

Guirassy took advantage of the elimination rounds to add one more to his tally, making it 10 in the first leg before failing to take advantage of an awarded penalty in the reverse fixture as he saw his effort saved by Sporting CP goalkeeper, Rui Silva.

He failed to score in the next three games, which were the round of 16 doubleheader with Lille and a quarter-final first leg humiliating 4-0 loss at Barcelona.

However, he bagged a historic hat-trick in the return leg to take his tally to 13, breaking multiple records in the process. The Guinean became the player with most goals for BVB in a single UCL campaign as well as the African with the most.

All these while, Guirassy has also racked up four assists, taking his goal involvement to 17, the likes of which has never been seen in Dortmund or African history.

It remains to be seen whether or not it is the increased number of games that helped him. For now, Serhou Guirassy can live the moment, and embrace a deserved consolation following BVB's exit in the competition.

Conclusion 

As the UEFA Champions League continues to evolve, African stars remain central to its most thrilling narratives. These remarkable scoring seasons are more than statistical feats, but also testaments to Africa's influence on world football.

From the trailblazers to modern icons, as one overtakes the other, they add a layer to the continent's rich European legacy and by projection, Africa is expected to continue on this delightful path in years to come.

As new talents emerge, inspired by the legends before them, the story is surely far from over. If history is any guide, the next to break Serhour Guirassy's 13-goal record is not a question of if, but when. And when it comes, it will be glorious.