Voting is open for the BCC African Footballer of the year 2016. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Andre Ayew, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane and Yaya Toure are this year’s five-man shortlist of the year award.
They were unveiled during a special live broadcast on Saturday. Fans from across the world will have until 18:00 GMT on November 28, to vote and decide the winner. Go to the BBC sport website for more.
Here are the profiles of each candidate.
2016 BBC African Footballer of the Year: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang profile
27-year-old Aubameyang has been outstanding for Borussia Dortmund and is back for a fourth consecutive year. (BBC)
His performance earned him Bundesliga player of the year, becoming the first African to do so and also the first Gabonese to win the Confederation of African Football’s Player of the Year. Aubameyang was also shortlisted for the 2016 Ballon d’Or.
2016 BBC African Footballer of the Year: Andre Ayew profile
Ayew became West Ham’s record signing from Swansea this season for £20.5m.(BBC)
Andre Ayew has been outstanding for former club, Swansea and Ghana’s national team. He is also shortlisted for a fourth time and was a winner of the BBC award in 2011.
Despite a setback injury that ruled him out early in the season, West Ham will look to the 26-year-old’s proficiency in attack that was evident from his impressive form for Swansea.
2016 BBC African Footballer of the Year: Riyad Mahrez profile
Riyad Mahrez been stealth and effective for Leicester City(BBC)
The Algerian’s style of play helped Leicester City win the 2015-16 English Premier League. You think he puts tape on his feet the way the ball sticks to his foot,” Madjid a childhood friend, assessesd Mahrez’s skills.
The 25-year-old debuts on this year’s BBC shortlist. A fairy-tale last season, won the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award and became the first African to win it.
2016 BBC African Footballer of the Year: Sadio Mane profile
Sadio Mane became the most expensive African footballer in history (BBC)
Liverpool signed Mane for £34m in the summer and the Sengalese has since proven his value to the club and described as “unplayable” at his best.
His versatility has proved challenging to defenders and advantageous to Liverpool in a way that he can play anywhere in attack, and easily play apart in the goals scored.
2016 BBC African Footballer of the Year: Yaya Toure profile
Toure has been a midfield house-hold name displayed by his strength and agility. (BBC)
This is an eighth consecutive BBC nomination for Yaya Toure who has won the award twice. He is also a four-time winner of the Confederation of African Football’s African Footballer of the Year award, and recently won the African Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea in 2015. Yaya Toure is caught up in a manger-agent-player feud that has affected his playing time for City, but his past achievements are not easily written off. He has won domestic trophies for City and helped it reach the last four of the European Champions League.
Featured Photo: BBC unveiled the candidates for the BBC African Footballer of the year (BBC)
