Senegal is through the round of 16 in this year's AFCON 2021 tournament after beating Cape Verde. Sadio Mane's only goal was the one that made the difference and set Senegal forward into the Quarterfinals.

However, before the Brilliant header from Mane, he was involved in a collision with the Cape Verde goalkeeper Josimar Dias in the 52nd minute of the game and was sent off as a result.

Surprisingly, The Liverpool forward was allowed to stay on the field and scored a beautiful goal in the 63rd minute; Before finally being replaced a few minutes later as Senegal went on to win the game 2-0 and reach the quarter-finals.

AFCON 2021: The Collision incident

As the match progressed Senegal was showing real composure and was having the upper hand throughout the game. But in the 53rd minute of the match, the Senegalese striker and the Cape Verde goalkeeper got involved in a collision. The situation arose when Mane started to chase the clearance from the Senegal defenders. 

Moreover, Mane reached their first, but a poor judgment from the keeper resulted in the collision. In the reply, it was showing that Sadio Mane was laying unconscious.

Josimar was sent off as a result of a lengthy VAR check; leaving Cape Verde down to nine men after Patrick Andrade was dismissed in the first half.

The Brilliant Goal

The injured Liverpool winger was the one who found the opener for Senegal in the 63rd minute of the match. Mane had the time and space to pick his spot and place a wonderful shot off the underside of the crossbar.

However, he was soon substituted during the 70th-minute mark because of his concussion injury.

Bamba Dieng ensured the win for Senegal by netting their second in stoppage time. But there are serious concerns over star man Mane will continue.

The UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of club football, boasting the best talent from around the globe. Over the years, African players have made a significant impact on Europe's elite competition, with many of them showcasing their skills but also finding the back of the net consistently.

From legendary strikers to dynamic wingers, this article highlights the top 10 African players with the most goals in Champions League history, celebrating their remarkable achievements on the grandest stage of European football.

10 most successful African Players with most goals in the UEFA Champions League:

10. Sebastian Haller| 12 Goals | Ivory Coast:

While the Ivorian found the net just 10 times in 48 games for the Hammers, he experienced a career revival at Ajax, netting an impressive 32 times in 50 games. Sebastian Haller made his Champions League debut in the 2021-22 season, scoring in his first seven games in the competition, including four in his debut against Ruben Amorim’s Sporting. Haller scored just one more UEFA Champions League goal and was given just 10 minutes in the German side’s 2024 final defeat to Real Madrid.

9. Rabah Madjer | Algeria | 12 Goals:

Madjer is considered one of the best players in the history of Algerian football and shot to renown as a Porto player in the 1980s. He scored six goals on Porto’s first UEFA Champions League winning run, including the equalizer against Bayern Munich in the final at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion. Madjer retired in 1992 and twice managed his home country, having played in their first ever World Cup in 1982.

8. Vincent Aboubakar | 14 Goals | Cameroon: 

Aboubakar made his UEFA Champions League debut in 2014 with Porto, scoring a goal in a 6-0 thrashing of BATE Borisov. He came back with a goal in the return fixture at home to Shakhtar and scored his first knockout goal against Basel but was an unused substitute in both quarter-final legs against Bayern Munich, including the 6-1 defeat that sent Porto out.

In the next two seasons, one spent at Porto and the other at Besiktas, Aboubakar netted six times but failed to get out of the group stage. He scored his final Champions League goals in 2017 with a brace against Monaco but was injured for the last 16 tie against Liverpool, a 5-0 defeat at the Estádio do Dragao.

7. Seydou Doumbia | 15 Goals | Ivory Coast:

Doumbia scored 15 UEFA Champions League goals in 31 games for three different clubs in his career. He moved to Basel in 2016, scoring just once in six games before ending his European run at Sporting in the 2017-18 season. He made his debut with CSKA Moscow, scoring five times in the 2011-12 season, but never hit that height again.

6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Gabon | 17 Goals:

 Aubameyang primarily scored his goals with Dortmund, he managed just two for Chelsea, but Gabon’s all-time top scorer never made it past the UEFA Champions League quarter finals having twice exited at that stage in 2014 and 2017. Aubameyang is, however, the all-time top goal scorer in Europa League history, netting 34 times in 62 games.

5. Riyad Mahrez | Algeria | 20 Goals:

Riyad Mahrez kicked things off with two goals in Leicester’s opening group match against Brugge before finding the net two more times ahead of the knockouts. He played every minute of Leicester’s knockout run but could only manage a single assist in that time. 

In the 2020-21 season, Mahrez was a crucial player on Manchester City’s run, scoring in the quarters before three goals against PSG in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. However, he could not find the net as City lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the final. By the time of the 2023 win, Mahrez had fallen down the City pecking order and stayed on the bench for the whole of the 1-0 win against Inter.

4. Sadio Mane | Senegal | 27 Goals:

The 2019 and 2022 African Player of the Year Mane was a talisman in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool rebuild. Joining in 2016, Mane along with Salah and Roberto Firmino combined to be a lethal front three with the Senegalese player scoring 10 goals in the 17-18 UEFA Champions League season, a figure only beaten by his team-mates and Cristiano Ronaldo. Moving to Bayern Munich in 2022, Mane struggled to replicate his Liverpool form but still scored three goals in the group stages before departing for Al-Nassr in 2023.

3. Samuel Eto'o | Cameroon | 30 Goals:

The four-time African player of the year winner, a figure only matched by Yaya Toure, scored most of his UEFA Champions League goals for Barcelona including six in their 2005-06 triumph and four in the 2008-09 win under Pep Guardiola. Moving to Inter in 2009, Eto’o became the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Champions Leagues at different clubs and played every game in the Jose Mourinho-masterminded run. Still considered by many to be the best African player of all-time, Samuel Eto’o was a deadly mix of pace and clinical finishing.

2. Didier Drogba | Ivory Coast | 44 Goals:

With 10 goals in 10 finals, the Ivorian was the man for the big occasion, and he made his UEFA Champions League debut with Marseille in 2003, scoring five goals in six games. Getting his move to Chelsea the following season, Drogba hit the same number in the 2004-05 campaign but managed just one goal in seven appearances the next year. 

He scored twice in the 2008 semi-final to set up a clash against rivals Manchester United, but a John Terry slip in a rain-soaked Moscow denied Chelsea their first UEFA Champions League title. But that success would come in 2012 with Drogba playing a starring role in the final.

1. Mohamed Salah | Egypt | 50 Goals:

Considering he scored just three goals in his first 15 UEFA Champions League appearances, betting on Mohamed Salah to one day become the leading African goal-scorer would have seemed a waste of money back in 2016. Famously a second choice of Klopp – the German preferred Julian Brandt – Salah hit 10 goals in his first UEFA Champions League season at Anfield, propelling Liverpool to their first final since 2007 but an early injury caused by Sergio Ramos forced him to the sideline as Real Madrid won 3-1 in Kyiv.

Football is not just a sport but an emotion, a passion, and for some, a religion. The game has evolved but the love and the passion for the sport is still the same. However, another evolution is evident, the exponential growth in player valuations and salaries. In the recent season, the fans witnessed their favourite players transfer from one club to another club for record transfer fees and record wages. It's time, we give a look at the list of the Top 10 Highest-Paid footballers in 2023.

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Top 5 Highest-Paid Footballers in 2023

1. $260 Million | Cristiano Ronaldo | Al-Nassr

Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr was historic. Earning €200 million, he's not just any sportsman but also a brand in itself. He is continuing to plug his own partnerships, with spots for Clear, Herbalife and Binance, among others, appearing on his Instagram account over the past two months. So it's $260 million in total if everything can be included alongside his salary.

AGE: 38 | NATIONALITY: PORTUGAL | ON-FIELD: $200 MILLION â€¢ OFF-FIELD: $60 MILLION

2. $135 Million | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami

The Messi Effect is real in MLS. Chicago Fire drew a club record 62,124 fans at Soldier Field and generated a reported $7 million to $10 million in revenue in a match against Inter Miami, more than all their home games combined this season. Messi's arrival on U.S. soil was also registered in a recently released Apple TV+ documentary titled "Messi Meets America."

AGE: 36 | NATIONALITY: ARGENTINA | ON-FIELD: $65 MILLION â€¢ OFF-FIELD: $70 MILLION

3. $112 Million | Neymar Jr. | Al-Hilal

Neymar Jr. has been always been the talking points in the footballing world since his departure from Barcelona. Because when he was in Barcelona, he was derived by only and only football but somehow he became the talking person for being a money driven football player. He signed a record contract with Al-Hilal recently. Away from the pitch, he remains as active as ever, with a list of sponsors that includes Puma, Konami and Red Bull. He also announced a partnership with Portuguese horse breeding farm Team Campline.

AGE: 31 | NATIONALITY: BRAZIL | ON-FIELD: $80 MILLION â€¢ OFF-FIELD: $32 MILLION

4. $110 Million | Kylian Mbappé | Paris Saint-Germain

Mbappé's decision was not to extend his contract with France's Paris-Saint Germain ahead of the new Ligue 1 season. The club even chose to exclude him from a preseason tour in Japan. But somewhat repaired their relationship. Mbappé fulfilling his childhood dream to play for Real Madrid are growing. Real Madrid failed to sign him this summer but are planning to do so in the next summer too.

AGE: 24 | NATIONALITY: FRANCE | ON-FIELD: $90 MILLION â€¢ OFF-FIELD: $20 MILLION

5. $106 Million | Karim Benzema | Al-Ittihad

Benzema followed his former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia. He brought to Al Ittihad a blend of skill, experience, and goal-scoring prowess. He's more than just a player. He's an investment for the future and a statement of intent.

AGE: 35 | NATIONALITY: FRANCE | ON-FIELD: $100 MILLION â€¢ OFF-FIELD: $6 MILLION

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Top 10 Highest-Paid Footballers list in 2023:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo: $260m (Al-Nassr)

2. Lionel Messi: $135m (Inter Miami)

3. Neymar: $112m (Al-Hilal)

4. Kylian Mbappé: $110m (PSG)

5. Karim Benzema: $106m (Al-Ittihad)

6. Erling Haaland: $58m (Manchester City)

7. Mohamed Salah: $53m (Liverpool)

8. Sadio Mané: $52m (Al-Nassr)

9. Kevin De Bruyne: $39m (Manchester City)

10. Harry Kane: $36m (Bayern Munich)

Saudi Pro-League club Al Hilal take out €90 million (£77.6m) to sign Brazilian forward Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Neymar will join the Saudi side on a two-year deal. He has signed the contract for a huge amount of £2.5 million-a-week in wages including other expenses. Neymar became the world's most expensive footballer after completing his move to PSG from Barcelona back in 2017. After 173 appearances for the Paris Giants, Neymar has scored 118 goals. After spending six seasons at PSG, he is now all set for a new mission in Saudi.

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Neymar's luxury Saudi Pro-League contract:

A report claims that Neymar has asked Al-Hilal management for three luxury cars for himself, four Mercedes G Wagons for his entourage, and a Mercedes van with a driver. Neymar has requested the Saudi Pro-League outfit one particular driver to be available round the clock every day for himself, his friends, and family members. The list of luxury cars reportedly comprises a Bentley Continental GT, an Aston Martin DBX, and a Lamborghini Huracan. Neymar also wants a refrigerator at his home to be always filled with Acai juice and Guarana drinks.

The Brazil sensation's demand doesn't just restrict there. He has also asked for three saunas to be installed in his house and a sous chef to help his personal Brazilian chef. The former Barcelona talisman has demanded all the costs of his stays at hotels, restaurants, and travel be covered by Al Hilal.

According to some trustable reports, Neymar's Saudi property will have 25 rooms and a swimming pool. The 31-year-old will earn £173.8 million per year during his stay at Al Hilal. The Al Hilal contract makes Neymar Saudi Pro League's third best-paid footballer, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in December last year. His former Real Madrid teammate Benzema followed him and signed for the Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad on a free transfer this summer.

"It is exciting, meeting top-quality players on the other teams thrills you and motivates you to play even better. And it is a given when you face Ronaldo, Benzema, (Roberto) Firmino, that the excitement is even greater. I think it is very important to have quality in the squad. Obviously, it helps in some decisions you take throughout your career. It was certainly for me. I am very excited to write a new story chasing all the objectives with the club and my teammates – winning more and more titles and fulfilling the club's ambition," Neymar said.

Sadio Mane has revealed that leaving Bayern Munich "hurts" him as the former Liverpool forward closes in on a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.

Mane, 31, is set to join Al-Nassr after one year at Bayern following his switch from Liverpool last summer. The Senegal international has arrived in Dubai to undergo the first part of his medical ahead of completing a deal worth around £34million - more than what the German side paid Jurgen Klopp's Reds 12 months ago.

He is set to sign a four-year contract with the Saudi Arabian side and will team up with Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo Brozovic at Al-Nassr. However, Mane has regrets about his time at Bayern and admitted he was hoping to have a bigger impact at the Allianz Arena.

Mane told Sky Sports: "Leaving FC Bayern hurts me. I would have wished for a different ending. I know that I could have helped the team this season. I wanted to prove it to everyone this season. Nevertheless, I only wish the club and the fans the best for the future."

The ex-Southampton star scored 12 goals in his first Bayern Munich season as they struggled in Europe and only clinched the Bundesliga title on the final day of the campaign. The forward's season was marred by a clash with team-mate Leroy Sane which earned him a fine and an internal ban, though he insists he has put the matter behind him.

"This kind of things can happen. It happened," Mane said of the Sane clash. "We were able to solve this small problem. Sometimes it's good to solve problems, but maybe not in this way. It's behind us now. We'll try to fight together to help the club achieve its goals next season."

As for Bayern, they hope to replace Mane and sign Harry Kane from Tottenham before the end of the window. Bayern have undergone more talks with Spurs over a deal for the 30-year-old frontman, although it is understood the two clubs are £25m apart in valuation.

Tottenham want £100m for their record scorer after he netted 30 Premier League goals last season. While Bayern Munich are aiming to seal a deal for Kane, it is also revealed that they face considerable competition. It is suggested that PSG are edging towards an agreement for the striker and would be willing to outbid any club in Europe for him.

Jude Bellingham has checked into Borussia Dortmund's team hotel ahead of the title-deciding match against Mainz. It's looking like Jude Bellingham will be involved in Borussia Dortmund's title decider against Mainz. The England international has probably returned to training after a knee problem and should be available to BVB coach Edin Terzic. Dortmund need to win the game to clinch the title after a long wait of 11 seasons.

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Bellingham has been a key player for Dortmund this season. He has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 31 Bundesliga appearances. Dortmund can secure their first Bundesliga title since 2012 if they beat Mainz in the last match week.

Bellingham didn't play the last game against Augsburg due to a knee injury. A thumping 3-0 victory over Augsburg put Dortmund one win away from their first league trophy in 11 years. Borussia Dortmund are two points clear of Bayern Munich going into the last game. Bayern lost their last game against Leipzig which opened a path for Dortmund and there's no way they are gonna spoil their chances from here.

Bellingham is linked with a move from the Bundesliga side in the summer transfer window. Spanish heavyweight Real Madrid is in talks to sign the England international.