10 Best Football (Soccer) Players from Togo

Players of the Togo national football team Photo sourced from Wikimedia

10 Best Football (Soccer) Players from Togo

Togo officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its capital, Lomé, is located. 

The Togo national football team represents Togo in international football and is controlled by the Togolese Football Federation. The national football team of Togo made their debut in the FIFA World Cup in 2006.Let’s take a look at some of the best players to have ever played for them;

1.Abdoul-Gafar Mamah

Abdoul Mamah Gafar Photo by Amarhgil Wikimedia

Abdoul-Gafar Mamah who was born on the 24th of August 1985 is a Togolese footballer who plays for Ouest Tourangeau as a full back. Born in Kpalimé, Mamah represented the Togo national football team in the 2002 African Cup of Nations in Mali and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

He is the country’s all time most capped player of all time making a total of 93 appearances in the defense for Togo national team, making him one of the best to have ever played for Togo. He was also a member of the Togo U21 from 1999 to 2004 where he made a total of 39 appearances. 

2.Emmanuel Adebayor

Emmanuel Adebayor warming-up Photo by Roger Gorączniak Wikimedia

Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor who was born on 26th February 1984 is a Togolese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Togolese Championnat National club Semassi. He previously played for English clubs Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace,

He also played for French side Metz, Monégasque team Monaco, Spanish team Real Madrid, Turkish clubs İstanbul Başakşehir and Kayserispor, and Paraguay’s Club Olimpia. He represented Togo national team in a total of 85 appearances and scored 32 goals in that time making him the all time top scorer for Togo. 

3.Jacques-Alaixys Romao

Jacques-Alaixys Romao who was born on  18 January 1984 , commonly known as Alaixys Romao, is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Super League Greece club Ionikos, for which he is captain. Born in France, he represents Togo at international level.

The French-born player has featured for the French under-18 national team, but is a member of the Togolese national team since 2005, for which he was called up to the 2006 World Cup.He has since gone to make a total of 78 appearances in that time, making him one of the most capped player for To go national team. 

4.Mohamed Abdel-Kader

Players of the Togo national football team Photo sourced from Wikimedia

Mohamed Abdel-Kader Coubadja-Touré who was born on 8th April 1979 is a Togolese former professional footballer who played as a forward and represented the Togo national team in a total of 67 appearances and scored 24 goals in that time. He helped Togo reach the 2006 World Cup, their first World Cup ever. He further scored the team’s first and only World Cup goal in a loss to South Korea. 

Kader’s star rose in his home country after he scored the late winner in the 1998 African Cup of Nations match against Ghana, thus securing the Togo national team’s first ever win at the tournament.The forward later played in the 2000 and 2002 editions, as well as featuring in Togo’s disappointing campaign in Egypt in 2006.

5.Kennedy Boateng

Kennedy Kofi Boateng who was born on 29th November 1996 is a footballer who plays as a centre back for Portuguese club Santa Clara. Born in Ghana, he plays for the Togo national team. He has represented the Togo national team on a total of 4 appearances. 

Boateng was born in Ghana, and is of Togolese descent through his mother. He was called up to represent the Togo national team in November 2021. He debuted for Togo in a 3–0 friendly win over Sierra Leone on 24 March 2022.

6.Emmanuel Hackman

Emmanuel Hackman who was born on the 14th May 1995 is a professional football player who plays for Portuguese club Gil Vicente. Born in Ghana, he plays for the Togo national team.He has made a single for the national team and he is one of the brightest stars for Togo. 

Hackman was born in Ghana to a Ghanaian Ewe father and Togolese mother. He was called up to the Togo national team for a set of friendlies in March 2022. He debuted for Togo in a 3–0 friendly win over Sierra Leone on 24 March 2022.

7.Dove Wome

Sename Dove Wome Dobe who was born on the 8th of June 1991 is a Togolese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Iraqi Premier League side Al-Diwaniya.He has made a total of 35 appearances and scored 6 goals in that time. He is one of the highly rated players from Togo. 

Wome earned his first call up to the Togo national team on 6 September 2009 for the World Cup Qualifying match against Morocco and made his international debut for Togo one month later, in a friendly on 14 October 2009 against Japan. Wome scored a goal in a friendly match against Bahrain, lost by 1–5.

8.Djene

Djene Dakonam Ortega who was born on the  31st December 1991, known as Djene, is a Togolese professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Getafe and the Togo national team. Mainly a centre-back, he can also play as a right-back. He has made a total of 63 appearances for the national team. 

Djene was named in Togo’s main squad for the 2011 WAFU Nations Cup, shortly after being called up by Benin. He made his international debut on 8 September 2012, starting in a 1–1 draw against Gabon.He was included in Didier Six’s 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, and appeared in all of Togo’s matches during the tournament, being eventually knocked out in the quarter-finals.

9.Floyd Ayite

Floyd Ama Nino Ayite who was born on the 15th December 1988 is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for French club Valenciennes and the Togo national team. He mainly plays a winger. He is Jonathan Ayites younger brother. He has made a total 46 appearances and scored 11 goals in that time. 

Despite being born in France, Ayite decide to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Jonathan Ayite and represent Togo, making his debut in 2008. On 14 November 2009, he scored his first goal for Togo, against Gabon. In 2013 he played 3 matches at 2013 Africa Cup of Nations where his team reached the quarterfinals. 

10.Loic Bessile

Loic Bessile who was born on the 19th February 1999 is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Belgian club Charleroi. Born in France, he represents the Togo national team. He has made a total of 2 appearances for the Togo national team. 

Bessile was born in France to a Cameroonian father and Togolese mother. He is a youth international for France. He debuted for the Togo national team in a friendly 1–1 tie with Sudan on 12 October 2020.He could be set for more apps with the talent that he has.  

In 2013 for the first time in history, Togo reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).