Past five COSAFA Under-20 Championship Golden Boot winners
The TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier Mauritius 2026 will be staged from September 18-27, providing another chance for the region’s top players in the age group to showcase their potential.
As anticipation builds for the tournament, we look back at the last five Golden Boot winners at the regional event and where they are now.
2019
Ambrosini Salvador (Angola) – 6 goals
Viewed as the next wonderkid from the region, striker Salvador, who also goes by the name ‘Zini’, signed for Greek giants AEK Athens on a season-long loan for 2022/23 and later made that move permanent.
He made the switch after starring for Primeiro de Agosto, who had placed a US$5-million release clause in the contract of the then 18-year-old. He spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Greek side APO Levadiakos, but returned to AEK.
He scored an impressive 14 goals in 26 league starts while on loan.
2020
Sinenjongo Mkiva (South Africa), Ambrosini Salvador (Angola) – 3 goals
Salvador was the joint top scorer again in 2020 and managed three goals alongside South Africa’s Sinenjongo Mkiva.
The latter was in the academy of South African club SuperSport United but did not make a first-team appearance and later went to third-tier Antalyaspor JPM Cape Town.
He had previously come through the academy at Bidvest Wits before the club folded.
2022
Danilson Makokisa (Angola) – 5 goals
Makokisa finished with five goals at the 2022 COSAFA Under-20 Championship to take home the Golden Boot prize.
He was also the leading scorer in all of qualifying for the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations but has not progressed much further with his career to date.
To be fair, he was only 16 and with AFA at the time of his heroics at the 2022 regional finals, and recently turned 20.
2024
Jody Ah Shene (South Africa) – 4 goals
Ah Shene scored four goals as South Africa took the title and he would go on to play a major role in them becoming African champions too.
He currently plies his trade for University of Pretoria on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns, having made the switch from Cape Town City in South Africa.
The 21-year-old is viewed as a future national team star and will hope a solid season in South Africa’s second tier with AmaTuks helps him gain experience and build his reputation further.
2025
Mwisho Mhango (Malawi) – 4 goals
Mhango netted four goals in the 2025 tournament, which was played as part of the Region 5 Games in Windhoek, Namibia, double the number of any other player.
He could not help Malawi to the title as they lost to South Africa in the final, but the Ascent Soccer Academy product earned a move to German side Hannover 96.
Still only 18, he will hope to make his big breakthrough at the club in the coming 2. Bundesliga season.
