Right-Back Emilio Nsue Wins AFCON Golden Boot After Scoring Five Goals While Playing Up Front for Equatorial Guinea

Right-back Emilio Nsue has won the Golden Boot at the Africa Cup of Nations. Nsue scored 5 goals at AFCON 2023 while playing as a striker for Equatorial Guinea.

Former Birmingham City and Middlesbrough player Emilio Nsue has won the Golden Boot award at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 34-year-old ended the tournament as the leading scorer after netting five goals in four games for Equatorial Guinea.

Egypt's Mostafa Mohamed and Angola's Gelson Dala finished joint second with four goals each.

AFCON 2023 top scorers

• 1st: Emilio Nsue (Equatorial Guinea), 5 goals
• =2nd: Gelson Dala (Angola), 4 goals
• =2nd: Mostafa Mohamed (Egypt), 4 goals
• =4th: Baghdad Bounedjah (Algeria), 3 goals
• =4th: Mabululu (Angola), 3 goals
• =4th: Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), 3 goals
• =4th: Mohamed Bayo (Guinea), 3 goals
• =4th: Lassine Sinayoko (Mali), 3 goals
• =4th: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria), 3 goals
• =4th: William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria), 3 goals

Equatorial Guinea's Emilio Nsue won the Golden Boot at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations by scoring five goals :: IMAGO/Shengolpixs/Daga Spotz

Nsue plays primarily as a right-back for club side CF Intercity in Spain's third tier.

However, he was deployed as a striker at AFCON 2023.

After drawing a blank in Equatorial Guinea's 1-1 draw with Nigeria in their Group A opener, Nsue got a hat-trick in a 4-2 victory over Guinea-Bissau.

He then netted twice in a stunning 4-0 win over eventual champions Ivory Coast.

Nsue had a big chance to add to his tally further in the round of 16 but he missed a penalty kick before Equatorial Guinea lost 1-0 to Guinea.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet your #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 Puma Golden Boot winner with 5️⃣ goals;

🇬🇶 Emilio Nsue López 🇬🇶@pumafootball pic.twitter.com/wyDT9cuHz8

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) February 12, 2024

Mallorca-born Nsue is Equatorial Guinea's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals in 43 matches.

He began playing for the Central African country in 2013 after failing to make the Spain squad for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Nsue spent three and a half seasons in England between August 2014 and January 2018.

He scored three goals in 80 games for Middlesbrough before netting once in 38 outings for Birmingham.

He has also represented Mallorca, Castellon, Real Sociedad, APOEL, Apollon Limassol and Tuzla City during his club career.