African Players at Olympique Lyonnais
France · Ligue 1 · founded 1950 · Parc Olympique Lyonnais
109African players
11Nations (3+)
3Current
Olympique Lyonnais have fielded 109 African players from 21 countries according to Wikidata.
The best-represented nation is Algeria with 23 players.
The earliest arrival on record is Chérif Bouchache (1952).
3 African players currently on the books: Tino Kadewere, Sinaly Diomandé and Héritier Deyonge.
Bafétimbi Gomis scored the most goals for the club among them (64).
Nationalities on the map
All players
| Player | Nation | Years | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis Depay |  Ghana | 2017–2021 | 139 | 63 |
| Samuel Umtiti |  Cameroon | 2012–2016 | 131 | 3 |
| Michael Essien | Ghana | 2003–2005 | 71 | 7 |
| Hatem Ben Arfa |  Tunisia | 2004–2008 | 64 | 7 |
| Abedi Pele | Ghana | 1993–1994 | 29 | 3 |
| Wilfried Zaha |  Ivory Coast | 2024–2025 | 4 | 0 |
| Islam Slimani |  Algeria | 2021–2022 | 30 | 4 |
| Frédéric baldi |  Mali | 1997–2000 | 40 | 9 |
| Nicolas Nkoulou | Cameroon | 2016–2018 | 13 | 0 |
| Bafétimbi Gomis |  Senegal | 2009–2014 | 178 | 64 |
| Bertrand Traoré |  Burkina Faso | 2017–2020 | – | – |
| Jean Makoun | Cameroon | 2008–2011 | 76 | 8 |
| Marc-Vivien Foé | Cameroon | 2000–2003 | 43 | 3 |
| Mahamadou Diarra | Mali | 2002–2006 | 123 | 7 |
| Amine Gouiri | Algeria | 2017–2020 | 15 | 0 |
| Vikash Dhorasoo |  Mauritius | 1998–2004 | 161 | 11 |
| Loïs Openda now |  DR Congo | 2026–now | 0 | 0 |
| Tanguy Ndombele | DR Congo | 2017–2022 | 77 | 1 |
| John Mensah | Ghana | 2008–2012 | 13 | 0 |
| Aly Cissokho | Senegal | 2009–2012 | 93 | 1 |
| Bakary Koné | Burkina Faso | 2011–2016 | 89 | 6 |
| Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa |  Central African Republic | 2015– | – | – |
| Sabri Lamouchi | Tunisia | ?– | – | – |
| Abdul Kader Keïta | Ivory Coast | 2007–2009 | 62 | 5 |
| Clinton Njie | Cameroon | 2012–2015 | 37 | 7 |
| Maxwel Cornet | Ivory Coast | 2015–2021 | 184 | 31 |
| Elisha Owusu | Ghana | ?– | – | – |
| Mouctar Diakhaby |  Guinea | ?– | – | – |
| Abdelkader Ghezzal | Algeria | ?– | – | – |
| Nadir Belhadj | Algeria | 2007–2008 | 9 | 0 |
| Henri Bedimo | Cameroon | 2013– | – | – |
| Jérémy Morel |  Madagascar | 2015–2019 | 105 | 0 |
| Lamine Gassama | Senegal | 2008–2012 | 17 | 0 |
| Samuel Moutoussamy | DR Congo | 2011–2016 | – | – |
| Peguy Luyindula | DR Congo | 2001–2004 | 91 | 33 |
| Rachid Ghezzal | Algeria | 2012– | – | – |
| Yassine Benzia | Algeria | 2012–2015 | 38 | 4 |
| Ishak Belfodil | Algeria | 2009–2012 | 10 | 0 |
| Tino Kadewere now |  Zimbabwe | 2020–now | 53 | 11 |
| Mehdi Zeffane | Algeria | 2012–2015 | 12 | 0 |
| Pape Cheikh Diop | Senegal | 2017–2022 | 13 | 0 |
| Joseph-Désiré Job | Cameroon | 1997–1999 | 40 | 11 |
| Lamine Diatta | Senegal | 2004–2006 | 30 | 0 |
| Aziz Bouderbala |  Morocco | 1990–1992 | 54 | 10 |
| Mouhamadou Dabo | Senegal | 2011–2015 | 67 | 0 |
| Oumar Solet | Ivory Coast | ?– | – | – |
| Aldo Kalulu | DR Congo | 2015– | 20 | 3 |
| Lindsay Rose | Mauritius | 2014–2014 | 3 | 0 |
| Arnold Mvuemba | DR Congo | 2012– | 2 | 0 |
| Mohamed Yattara | Guinea | 2011–2015 | – | – |
| Sinaly Diomandé now | Ivory Coast | 2019–now | – | – |
| Christopher Martins |  Cape Verde | 2013–2019 | – | – |
| Gueïda Fofana | Mali | 2011–2015 | – | – |
| Jamal Alioui | Morocco | 2000–2003 | – | – |
| Karim Maroc | Algeria | 1976–1981 | – | – |
| Pape Diakhaté | Senegal | 2010–2011 | 28 | 1 |
| Djameleddine Benlamri | Algeria | 2020–2021 | – | – |
| Yannis Tafer | Algeria | 2008–2012 | 10 | 1 |
| Eugène Kabongo | DR Congo | 1987–1990 | 83 | 48 |
| Halim Benmabrouk | Algeria | 1991–1992 | 13 | 0 |
| Malcolm Barcola |  Togo | ?– | – | – |
| Olivier Kemen | Cameroon | 2016– | – | – |
| Abdelhamid Kermali | Algeria | 1955–1959 | – | – |
| Alain Gouaméné | Ivory Coast | 1989–1990 | – | – |
| Demba Touré | Senegal | 2002–2004 | 2 | 0 |
| Eric Tié Bi | Ivory Coast | ?– | – | – |
| Farès Bahlouli | Algeria | 2013–2015 | 9 | 0 |
| Alain Moizan | Senegal | 1980–1982 | 67 | 10 |
| Khaled Lemmouchia | Algeria | ?– | – | – |
| Sidy Koné | Mali | 2011–2015 | 2 | 0 |
| Thomas Fontaine | Madagascar | 2008–2012 | 76 | 1 |
| Amos Youga | Central African Republic | 2012–2012 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Koumetio | Cameroon | 2014–2018 | – | – |
| Yan Brice Eteki | Cameroon | ?– | – | – |
| Fahd Moufi | Morocco | 2014–2016 | 0 | 0 |
| Habib Keita | Mali | ?– | – | – |
| James Debbah |  Liberia | 1992–1995 | 80 | 18 |
| Ousmane N'Diaye | Senegal | ?– | – | – |
| Yacine Hima | Algeria | 2003–2007 | – | – |
| Ali Bouafia | Algeria | 1988–1992 | 138 | 25 |
| Boubacar Fofana | Mali | ?– | – | – |
| Jean-Jacques N'Domba |  Congo | 1985–1988 | 57 | 13 |
| Ali El-Omari | Morocco | ?– | – | – |
| Eugène N'Jo Léa | Cameroon | 1959–1961 | 50 | 21 |
| Julian Michel | Morocco | ?– | – | – |
| Khaled Kharroubi | Algeria | ?– | – | – |
| Louis Nganioni | DR Congo | 2013– | – | – |
| Samassi Abou | Ivory Coast | 1992–1996 | 58 | 4 |
| Formose Mendy |  Guinea-Bissau | ?– | – | – |
| Sylvain Idangar |  Chad | 2003–2007 | 0 | 0 |
| Kelly Youga | Central African Republic | ?– | – | – |
| Lounis Matem | Algeria | ?– | – | – |
| Yann Ekra | Ivory Coast | 2007–2008 | 2 | 1 |
| Zakarie Labidi | Tunisia | 2012– | – | – |
| Dylan Mboumbouni | Central African Republic | ?– | – | – |
| Romarin Billong | Cameroon | 1989–1995 | 108 | 5 |
| Vincent Ye | Burkina Faso | ?– | – | – |
| Yaya Soumaré now | Senegal | 2015–now | – | – |
| Héritier Deyonge now | DR Congo | 2019–now | – | – |
| Mohammed Abderrazack | Morocco | 1957–1958 | 8 | 4 |
| Saïd Mehamha | Algeria | 2008–2012 | 0 | 0 |
| Abdou Nef | Algeria | ?– | – | – |
| Mohamed Lekkak | Algeria | 1967–1969 | 61 | 17 |
| Alexandre Bès | Ivory Coast | 1989–1994 | – | – |
| Chérif Bouchache | Algeria | 1952–1953 | – | – |
| Mohamed Bouassa | Morocco | 1967–1969 | – | – |
| M'saddek Senoussi | Tunisia | ?– | – | – |
| Pombolo Sadi Wa | DR Congo | 1985–1987 | – | – |
| Isaac Hemans | Ghana | ?– | – | – |
Years and appearances from Wikidata career statements (league appearances where recorded).