The Zimbabwean striker was the first African player to take part in the English Premier League, joining Coventry City in 1991 and making over 150 appearances for the club until leaving in 1997. During that time, other Africans joined the EPL, but Ndlovu did well to show audiences what an African player could bring to a team as a pioneer for the continent in the English top flight.
In March 2012, the Ivorian striker scored his 100th English Premier League goal in a victory over Stoke City, becoming the 22nd player ever to achieve the feat, and the first footballer from Africa to reach that incredible milestone. He was also top scorer in the EPL during the 2006-07 and 2009-10 seasons, firmly cementing his name amongst the record breaking African players.
Nigerian Yakubu Aiyegbeni stands alone as the African who has scored the most EPL trebles, with four hat-tricks for three clubs. His first was in May 2004 for Portsmouth against Middlesbrough in a 5-1 win where he scored four goals, with his second for Portsmouth in a 4-3 win over Fulham the next season. Three years later he scored a hat-trick for Everton against Fulham in a 3-0 win, with his final hat-trick coming in December 2011 as he scored four for Blackburn Rovers in a 4-2 victory over Swansea City.
Senegal striker Sadio Mane wrote his name in the record books after scoring the fastest ever hat-trick in English Premier League history for Southampton in their 6-1 demolition of Aston Villa in May 2015. The striker put three goals past Villa keeper Shay Given in two minutes and 54 seconds, officially breaking the record previously held by Robbie Fowler.
After joining Arsenal, Gervinho achieved his Premier League debut in a match against Newcastle United, but was sent off mid match for slapping opponent Joey Barton. The game finished in a 0-0 draw, and Gervinho received a three-match ban for violent conduct, making him the first African to be sent off on debut and receive a three-match ban to boot.
Another of the record breaking African players is Algerian Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City, who was recently named the Professional Footballer Association (PFA) Player of the Year for his contribution to Leicester City’s historic season. The 25-year-old scored 17 goals in this Premier League title winning season, and is the first African player to win the award.
Many African players have gone on to win the English Premier League in the last three decades, but the very first was Liberian striker Christopher Wreh, who won the title with Arsenal in 1997-98. Along with the EPL title, the Gunners won the FA Cup that year.
Technically not a record, but impressive in its own right, South African defender Lucas Radebe captained Leeds United between 1998 and 2005, leading them to success on the pitch while being recognised for his charitable work off the field. The defender made 201 appearances between 1994 and 2005, captaining the team to their best ever Premier League finish in the 1999-2000 season, where they placed third. In the following season Radebe was instrumental in Leeds’ semi-final run in the UEFA Champions League.
