From record-breaking transfers at Europe’s biggest clubs to two remarkable South African underdog stories, here are the African stars set to make an impact in this season’s UEFA Champions League.
Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco)
The Morocco captain remains the standard-bearer for African football in Europe. Hakimi has won back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG, was named African Footballer of the Year in 2025, and captained Morocco to the quarter-finals at this year’s World Cup.
With PSG chasing an unprecedented third straight title, Hakimi will once again be central to their campaign.
Yan Diomandé (Real Madrid, Ivory Coast)
Diomandé arrived at the Bernabéu this summer in a deal reportedly worth up to €140 million, making him the most expensive African player in history.
The Ivorian winger impressed hugely at RB Leipzig last season, but has had limited game time under Jose Mourinho so far.
A big Champions League campaign, including a reunion against his old club Leipzig, could be exactly what he needs to justify the fee.
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Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid, Morocco)
Díaz switched his international allegiance from Spain to Morocco in 2024, and has become a key creative outlet for both his club and country since.
He was the top scorer at the 2025 AFCON as Morocco won the tournament on home soil, and has already shown his big-match quality in the Champions League with decisive goals against Atlético Madrid and Manchester City in previous campaigns.
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Manchester City, Morocco)
One of the breakout stars of this year’s World Cup, Bouaddi swapped Lille for Manchester City this summer in a deal worth around £85.6 million, making him the most expensive teenager in Premier League history.
The composed defensive midfielder recently switched his international allegiance from France to Morocco, and is set to make his Champions League debut for Manchester City against Porto.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, Nigeria)
Osimhen leads Nigeria’s strong representation in this year’s competition. The former Napoli striker, who was named African Player of the Year in 2023, will be looking to fire Galatasaray through a tough league phase run that includes holders PSG, Barcelona and Aston Villa.
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Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund, Guinea)
Guirassy finished as joint-top scorer in the 2024/25 Champions League with 13 goals, following a 30-goal debut campaign at Stuttgart the year before that first announced him as one of Europe’s most prolific strikers.
Now entering his third season at Dortmund, he remains one of the most dangerous forwards on this list heading into the new campaign.
Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid, Nigeria)
Lookman joined Atlético Madrid from Atalanta back in February, and heads into a first full season at the club looking to bring his pace and eye for goal to Diego Simeone’s side as they push for a first Champions League title in the club’s history.
Ibrahim Mbaye (Aston Villa, Senegal)
Still only 18, Mbaye left Champions League winners PSG for Aston Villa in a £47 million deadline-day move. He made history at this year’s World Cup as the youngest African player ever to score at the tournament, and gets the chance to test himself in the Champions League proper straight away.
Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City, Ghana)
Semenyo completed a move from Bournemouth to Manchester City back in January, following a breakout campaign at Vitality Stadium.
The Ghana international has continued to impress at the Etihad, and will be looking to make his mark in Champions League football as City chase silverware on every front.
Iliman Ndiaye (Manchester City, Senegal)
Ndiaye completed a deadline-day move from Everton to Manchester City this summer, joining a City squad packed with attacking talent.
The Senegal forward will be hoping to force his way into Enzo Maresca’s plans for a genuine shot at Champions League football.
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Honourable mentions
Aden McCarthy (Sabah FK) – The son of former Bafana Bafana international Fabian McCarthy, Aden left Kaizer Chiefs for Azerbaijani side Sabah FK in June, and has already helped his new club qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history.
Manasse Kianga (Slovan Bratislava) – Kianga’s journey is one of the more remarkable stories in this year’s competition. Born in Johannesburg and raised through the now-defunct Mpumalanga Black Aces academy, he moved to England as a teenager but was stuck playing non-league football for years due to work-permit issues.
After finding his way to Slovakian football via the third tier, he’s risen rapidly to Slovan Bratislava, where he’s coached by club legend Yaya Touré and has already made his Champions League debut, with games against Inter Milan, Roma and holders PSG still to come.
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