Caf have shortlisted five Nigerian stars for this year's African Footballer of the Year award which includes the trio of John Obi Mikel, Sunday Mba and Emmanuel Emenike.
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CSKA Moscow attacking winger, Ahmed Musa and Lille goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, complete the list of Nigerians on the shortlist.
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However, Mba has also been nominated in the African Footballer of the Year award for players based in Africa.
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An elated Mba told supersport.com on Friday that the nominations are surprising to him.
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"I am hearing this for the first time. I am really, really surprised and at the same time I'm happy. This goes to show that hard work and brilliance do not go unnoticed," said Mba to supersport.com.
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It would be recalled that Mba scored the winner for Nigeria against Burkina Faso in the final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in February.
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But the Nigerian players will face huge challenge from 20 other African stars for the 2013 African Footballer of the Year.
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Top among other nominees are the reigning African Player of the Year, Yaya Toure, Didi Drogba, Asamoah Gyan, Mohamed Aboutrika, Jonathan Pitroipa, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Seydou Keita, Victor Wanyama and Gervinho.
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"The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the nominees for the 2013 African Player of the Year and the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa).
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"Twenty-five (25) players made the cut for the flagship African Player of the Year category, and twenty-one (21) for the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa)," a statement issued on Caf's official website disclosed on Friday.
Let us just sit and hope that a Nigerian will clinch it this time around. Someone like Mikel Obi