Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have been shortlisted, alongside other footballers, as the final nominees for the 2019 African Footballer of the Year.
Mo Salah, who won the award in 2017 and 2018, is looking to win it for a 3rd straight year after helping Liverpool to win the UCL last season.
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is also in with a shout after being the co-highest goal scorer in the EPL last season, netting 22 goals alongside Salah.
Man City’s Riyad Mahrez, who won the league, FA Cup and League Cup in the previous season, is also a front-runner for the award he won in 2016. Mahrez was key in Algeria’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations success, a trophy they had not lifted since 1990.
Dazzling Hakim Ziyech and Andre Onana were shortlisted as well for their brilliant displays last season when they reached the semi-final of the Champions League against all expectations.
A statement from CAF read, “The shortlist of nominees was decided upon by votes from a Caf Technical & Development Committee and a panel of media experts with emphasis on the nominees’ performance of during the year under review, 2019,”
“The final phase of voting for the men’s and women’s African Player of the Year, as well as the male and female Coach of the Year, will be selected by head coaches/technical directors and captains of senior national teams from Caf Member Associations.
“The Interclubs Player of the Year will be decided upon by the head coaches and captains of the group phase of the current season of Caf Interclubs competitions.”
Player of the Year: Andre Onana (Cameroon & Ajax), Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax), Ismail Bennacer (Algeria & AC Milan), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool), Odion Ighalo (Nigeria & Shanghai Shenhua), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City), Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool), Youcef Belaili (Algeria & Ahli Jeddah).
Women’s Player of the Year: Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga), Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona), Gabrielle Onguene (Cameroon & CSKA Moscow), Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning), Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC).
Who is your money on?
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate