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Ethiopian national team. By Fabrice2005.

15 Best Ethiopian Football (Soccer) Players

Originally published  by Ronny  in October 2022 and Updated by Ian S in May 2024

The Ethiopian national football team, dubbed after the Walia, represents Ethiopia in men’s international football and is administered by the Ethiopian Football Federation, the country’s governing body for football.

Since its inception in 1943, the Ethiopian squad has represented the country in regional, continental, and international tournaments. The Walias play their home games at Addis Ababa Stadium, which is located in the capital city of Addis Ababa. According to the FIFA World Rankings, they are presently placed 150th in the world and 44th in CAF.

Ethiopia was one of only three teams (together with Egypt and Sudan) to compete in the inaugural Africa Cup of Nations in 1957. It won the tournament in 1962 while simultaneously serving as the host.

However, success has been elusive.  Despite failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, the country boasts the finest performing footballers. In this post, we’ll look at some of the best players;

1. Adugna Deyas

Adugna Gurmu Deyas is an Ethiopian football goalkeeper who was born on July 13, 1983.

In 2003, Deyas joined Ethiopian champions Saint-George SA.

Deyas is an Ethiopian national football team member who participated in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Cup. He is regarded as one of the most dependable goalkeepers of his generation.

2. Imaye Taga

Imaye Taga (born 1 February 1985) is an Ethiopian-born Israeli former footballer who played as a midfielder for the Israel U21 national team.

Taga attended the ORT boarding school in Netanya, where he was found by Maccabi Netanya scouts.

Taga rose through the ranks at Netanya, playing his way through the youth system before making his senior debut in the 2003-04 season. He was a member of the first team for six years.

He left Netanya on July 28, 2010, and signed a two-year contract with Hapoel Ashkelon. Taga joined Hapoel Acre on April 11, 2012, after spending two years in Ashkelon. He was called up on August 3, 2010. Taga was set to earn his first national team cap when he was injured, and he never played a single game for the team. He has won various honors, including the Toto Cup, Liga Leumit, and Israel Premier League

3. Abdus Ibrahim 

Abdusalam Abas Ibrahim (born 15 August 1991), often known as Fuad Ibrahim and Ibee Ibrahim, is an Ethiopian former professional footballer who played as a forward.  Ibrahim was the MLS Superdraft’s second-youngest player ever selected.

In April 2012, he signed a professional contract with Minnesota Stars FC of the North America Soccer League. Ibrahim joined AC Kajaani of Finland’s second level in April 2013 and scored on his debut.

Following his spell in Finland, he joined Oromo United in Minnesota in 2014. He was called up to Ethiopia’s squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and scored his first international goal in the Antelopes’ 2-1 warm-up win over Tanzania.

He became a youth soccer coach at White Bear Soccer Club in Minnesota after finishing his playing career.

4. Amin Askar

Amin Askar. Picture By Torstein Thune.

Amin Soleiman Askar (born October 1, 1985) is an Ethiopian footballer who now plays for Kristiansund. Askar is also a Norwegian citizen, having lived there since he was two years old.

Askar is a versatile footballer who has played in a variety of positions, including defense and midfield. He signed a two-year contract with Fredrikstad on March 27, 2009. Askar was selected to represent Ethiopia at the senior level in 2013.

He was due to make his debut against Nigeria in the African qualifying tournament for the World Cup in Brazil, but the necessary paperwork did not arrive on time. Askar signed a contract with Tippeligaen team Brann prior to the 2012 season.

5. Saladin Said

Salah El Din Ahmed Said, usually known as Salhadin Said or Saladin Said, is an Ethiopian footballer who plays for the Ethiopian club Saint George FC and the Ethiopian national team. He was born on October 29, 1988. His enthusiasm, skill, and the goal-scoring ability in crucial games have made him one of Eastern Africa’s most important players. Salhadin was the leading scorer in the 2017 CAF Champions League.

Salhadin was on trial with the Serbian club Partizan in 2010, however, the trade fell through. Following that, he trialed with FK Vojvodina but did not advance beyond receiving good wishes and compliments from coach Zoran Milinkovic.

Salhadin scored five goals against AS Port in the 2011 Kagame Inter-club Cup. He has played for a number of teams and made his Ethiopian national team debut in 2005. He has since become Ethiopia’s leading scorer in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.

6. Getaneh Kebede

Getaneh Kebede. Picture By ·¡´Ú´Ú²¹³Ù³óé´Ç±è³ó¾±±ô±ð105.

Getaneh Kebede, a completely gifted footballer, was born on April 2, 1992, in Addis Ababa. He is a striker for Wolkite City, an Ethiopian Premier League team. He also represents Ethiopia’s national squad.

Getaneh began his career with the Debub police department, and in 2013, he was the top scorer in the Ethiopian Premier League. Getaneh is a member of the Ethiopian national team, making his debut in a CECAFA Cup match against Malawi in December 2010.

He scored two goals in a 5-0 second-leg triumph over Somalia in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier. His quickness and ability to tease opponents’ defenses allow him to score frequently.   Getaneh is one of the Ethiopian national team’s reliant players.

7. Oumed Oukri

Oumed was born in Gambela National Regional State, one of Ethiopia’s federal regions, near the Sudanese border in the country’s southwest. He was born on October 5, 1990, and has grown to be an Ethiopian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Hadiya Hossan FC of the Ethiopian Premier League.

According to weekly Capital Ethiopia’s Top 30 List for the 2003 Ethiopian Calendar, Oumed Oukri has been voted the Best Sportsman. Some Egyptian clubs were interested in his goalscoring, but St. George declined. 

As a result, the Ethiopian champions enabled him to join a foreign league. On 30 November 2009, he made his Ethiopian debut against Djibouti, and he quickly scored two goals.

Ethiopia won by a score of 5-0. In September 2010, he scored his third goal in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea.

8. Abubeker Nassir

Abubeker Nassir. Picture By·¡´Ú´Ú²¹³Ù³óé´Ç±è³ó¾±±ô±ð105.

He is an Ethiopian international footballer who now plays as a forward for Mamelodi Sundowns F.C in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League and for the Ethiopian national team.

He previously played in the Ethiopian Premier League for Ethiopian Coffe S.C. Nassir left his original club Harar City in 2016 (2009 E.C.) to join Ethiopian Coffe, a perennial powerhouse.

He began his career with the club’s B team before soon progressing to the senior squad. Nassir signed a contract extension with Ethiopian Coffee in 2020, extending his stay at the club until 2025.

Several clubs have approached the young forward, who is savvy on the field. He is one of the players who assist Ethiopia in competing in various African competitions.

9. Gatoch Panom

Gatoch Yiech (born 30 November 1994) is an Ethiopian professional footballer who now plays for Saint George S.C. and the Ethiopian national team as a midfielder.

Panom’s first professional club was the Addis Ababa-based team Ethiopian Coffee, where he made his debut in 2012. After numerous appearances and becoming a regular starter for the club, his form earned him his first call-up to the Ethiopian national team in 2014.

Panom has also represented a number of other clubs. Anzhi Makhachkala, Mekelle City, El Gouna, and Al-Anwar are among them. Coach Sewnet Bishaw invited him to join the Ethiopia squad for the 2014 African National Championship in January 2014. Despite being removed from several positions, he has made significant contributions to his country.

10. Adane Girma

Adane Girma (born June 25, 1985) is an Ethiopian footballer for Wolkite City. From 2006 to 2015, he was a member of the Ethiopian national team, making 45 appearances and scoring 9 goals.

Adane started his career with Hawassa Kenema FC in the summer of 2007 but departed to join Saint George S.A. He was eventually converted into a striker, a position in which he excelled, finishing as one of the top scorers in the Ethiopian Premier League in the 2009-10 season.

Adane was also capable of playing fullback.  He was also named the league’s best player that season. Adane was an important member of the national team’s qualification for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

Adane started in central midfield for the first time at the African Cup of Nations, replacing another sensational young player, Haddis. In 2015, Adane retired from the Ethiopian national team.

11. Surafel Dagnachew

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Surafel is a rising star who shines brightly among the best Ethiopian soccer players. This gifted midfielder began turning heads in the 2016-17 season with Adama City before joining Fasil Kenema in 2018.

His stellar performances earned him the 2018-19 Ethiopian Player of the Year award and helped Fasil claim the 2020-21 league title. In 2024, Surafel took his talents to Loudoun United, inking a three-year deal that allows his brilliance to grace an international stage.

But his journey truly soared when he made his national team debut in 2019, going on to represent Ethiopia at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. With skill, determination and a bright future ahead, Surafel is etching his name as one of his country’s all-time greats.

12. Kenean Markneh

Markneh is a soccer sensation electrifying fans across Ethiopia and beyond. This dynamic attacking midfielder has dazzled on the pitch for Ethiopian Premier League club Defence Force, showcasing his skill and flair.

But Markneh’s talents truly shine on the international stage, where he has etched his name among the nation’s best players. In 2018, he made his debut for the Ethiopia national team, earning his first cap in a crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Kenya.

With every touch of the ball, Markneh mesmerizes, his footwork and vision a joy to behold. As he continues to ascend, this rising star is carrying the hopes of a proud soccer nation, inspiring the next generation with his passion and brilliance.

13. Amanuel Gebremichael

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Amanuel is a goalscoring phenom blazing a trail among the best Ethiopian soccer players. This lethal forward has set the Ethiopian Premier League alight with his clinical finishing for Fasil Kenema.

In the 2018-19 season, Amanuel’s 17 goals fired his club to their first-ever league title, his winner against Dire Dawa Kenema proving the decisive strike. But his talents extend far beyond domestic success. Amanuel has donned the famous green jersey of the Ethiopian national team, announcing himself on the international stage with a debut goal against Djibouti in 2019.

With every strike, he cements his status as one of his nation’s brightest stars, inspiring the next generation with his predatory instincts and insatiable hunger for goals.

14. Abel Yalew

Abel is a scoring sensation blazing a trail among Ethiopia’s best soccer talents. This lethal forward has set pitches ablaze with his clinical finishing, first starring in his homeland before taking his talents abroad to Egypt’s top flight with ZED.

But Abel’s impact extends far beyond his goalscoring prowess. He has donned the iconic green jersey of the Ethiopian national team, making his debut in a 2017 CECAFA Cup victory over South Sudan.

With every perfectly placed strike, Abel etches his name deeper into his nation’s lore, carrying the hopes of a proud soccer community. A true trailblazer, this rising star is inspiring the next generation of Ethiopian goal-getters through his passion, skill, and relentless pursuit of excellence on football’s biggest stages.

15. Chernet Gugesa

Chernet is a dynamic forward electrifying fans and etching his name among Ethiopia’s soccer elite. With his blistering pace and lethal finishing for Bahir Dar Kenema, this goalscoring phenom has set the Ethiopian Premier League alight.

But Chernet’s impact extends far beyond domestic glory – he has earned the iconic green jersey, making his international debut in a crucial 2022 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho. 

With every perfectly-placed strike, he inspires the next generation, driving his nation’s passionate supporters into delirium. A true trailblazer, Chernet’s meteoric rise is a testament to his unrelenting hunger and boundless talent.