| Year | Player |
Club Team | National Team |
| 2001 | El Hadji Diouf |
Lens (France) | Senegal |
| 2000 | Patrick Mboma |
Cagliari-Parma (Italy) | Cameroon |
| 1999 | Nwanko Kanu |
Arsenal (England) | Nigeria |
| 1998 | Mustapha Hadji |
Deportivo La Coruña (Spain) | Morocco |
| 1997 | Victor Ikpeba |
AS Monaco (France) | Nigeria |
| 1996 | Nwankwo Kanu |
Internazionale (Italy) | Nigeria |
| 1995 | George Weah |
Milan AC (Italy) | Liberia |
| 1994 | George Weah |
Milan AC (Italy) | Liberia |
| 1993 | Abedi Pele |
Olympique Marseille (France) | Ghana |
| 1992 | Abedi Pele |
Olympique Marseille (France) | Ghana |
| 1991 | Abedi Pele |
Olympique Marseille (France) | Ghana |
| 1990 | Roger Milla |
CS Saint Denis (Reu) | Cameroon |
| 1989 | George Weah |
AS Monaco (France) | Liberia |
| 1988 | Kalusha Bwalya |
Cercle Brugge (Belgium) | Zambia |
| 1987 | Rabah Madjer |
FC Porto (Portugal) | Algeria |
| 1986 | Badou Zaki |
RCD Mallorca (Spain) | Morocco |
| 1985 | Mohamed Timoumi |
FAR Rabat (Morocco) | Morocco |
| 1984 | Theophile Abego |
Toulouse FC (France) | Cameroon |
| 1983 | Mahmoud Al-Khatib |
Al-Ahly (Egypt) | Egypt |
| 1982 | Thomas N'Kono |
RCD Español (Spain) | Cameroon |
| 1981 | Lakhdar Belloumi |
GCR Mascara (Algeria) | Algeria |
| 1980 | Jean Manga Onguene |
Canon Yaoundé (Cameroon) | Cameroon |
| 1979 | Thomas N'Kono |
Canon Yaoundé (Cameroon) | Cameroon |
| 1978 | Abdul Razak |
Asante Kotoko (Gha) | Ghana |
| 1977 | Dhiab Tarak |
Espérance Tunis (Tun) | Tunisia |
| 1976 | Roger Milla |
Canon Yaoundé (Cameroon) | Cameroon |
| 1975 | Ahmed Faras |
SC Chabab Mohammedia (Morocco) | Morocco |
| 1974 | Paul Moukila |
CARA Brazzaville (Congo) | Congo |
| 1973 | Tshimimu Bwanga |
TP Mazembe (Zaire) | Zaire |
| 1972 | Cherif Souleymane |
Hafia Conakry (Guinea) | Guinea |
| 1971 | Ibrahim Sunday |
Asante Kotoko (Ghana) | Ghana |
| 1970 | Salif Keita |
AS Saint-Etienne (France) | Mali |
