Choupo-Moting still Africa’s best in ‘big five’

Cameroon and Schalke 04 attacker Eric Choupo-Moting remains the top performing African player across Europe’s five biggest leagues (Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A, Primera Liga and Bundesliga) according to renowned football statistics website WhoScored.com.

WhoScored.com uses detailed statistics from Opta to compile player ratings based on each event recorded in a match and calculated using sophisticated algorithms. It is a reliable resource to objectively measure a player’s performance, whether in a single match or over the course of a season.

With an average rating of 7.55 (out of a possible 10) throughout the current Bundesliga campaign, Cameroonian Choupo-Moting is the continent’s top representative within the ‘big five’ for 2014/15. He is the 10th highest rated player in the German top flight and the only African currently in the top 10 of any of the five leagues.

However, he only just edges out compatriot Nicolas N’Koulou (link to player profile), who has an average rating of 7.54 with Olympique Marseille in France’s Ligue 1. He is the 11th highest rated player in that particular league.

The overall top performing player across the five leagues is Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, with an amazing rating of 8.83.

See the listings below for the top overall performer and top African player in each of the five leagues. Following the player’s name is his performance ranking within that league, then his minutes played, appearances (including substitute appearances), goals and assists.

England – Premier League

Best overall player: Eden Hazard, 1st (Chelsea) – rating 7.93 – 37 apps, 3289 minutes, 14 goals, 8 assists

Best African player: Victor Moses, 15th (Stoke) – rating 7.45 – 19 apps, 1455 minutes, 3 goals, 3 assists

Germany – Bundesliga

Best overall player: Arjen Robbern, 1st (Bayern Munich) – rating 8.48 – 21 apps, 1679 minutes, 17 goals, 7 assists

Best African player: Eric Choupo-Moting, 10th (Schalke) – rating 7.55 – 30 apps, 2540 minutes, 9 goals, 6 assists

France – Ligue 1

Best overall player: Jordan Amavi, 1st (Nice) – rating 7.76 – 36 apps, 3233 minutes, 4 goals, 0 assists

Best African player: Nicolas N’Koulou, 11th (Marseille) – rating 7.54 – 23 apps, 2021 minutes, 2 goals, 0 assists

Spain – Primera Liga

Best overall player: Lionel Messi, 1st (Barcelona) – rating 8.83 – 37 apps, 3285 minutes, 41 goals, 18 assists

Best African player: Alan Nyom, 70th (Granada) – rating 7.00 – 33 apps, 2899 minutes, 1 goal, 0 assists

Italy – Serie A

Best overall player: Franco Vazquez, 1st (Palermo) – rating 7.73 – 35 apps, 3044 minutes, 9 goals, 9 assists

Best African player: Faouzi Ghoulam, 26th (Napoli) – rating 7.23 – 19 apps, 1598 minutes, 0 goals, 2 assists