The Confederation of the African Football (CAF) has released its ten-man shortlist of nominees for the African player of the year award, including last year’s title holder, Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
Nigeria’s Alex Iwobi has been included in the shortlist, contending with Senegal’s captain Sadio Mane and Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Others named in the shortlist are Cameroon’s Andre Onana, Morocco’s Mehdi Benatia and former winner Riyad Mahrez of Algeria.
Tunisia and Esperance forward Anis Badri, Uganda and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango and the Egypt and Al Ahly midfielder Walid Soliman complete the list.
CAF also announced the final nominees for their other awards categories that include the Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year and Youth Player of the Year.
French coach Herve Renard, who won the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia and the Ivory Coast and is now in charge of Morocco, is among three Coach of the Year contenders.
His rivals are Aliou Cisse of Senegal and Moine Chaabani, who guided Tunisian side Esperance to the CAF Champions League title after being put in charge just one match before the final.
The 2018 CAF Awards will be announced on 8 January at a ceremony in Senegal’s Dakar to honor Africa’s best players and officials for their achievements during 2018.
African awards short lists:
Player of the Year
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria, Arsenal/ENG), Andre Onana (Cameroon, Ajax/NED), Anis Badri (Tunisia, Esperance), Denis Onyango (Uganda, Mamelodi Sundowns/RSA), Mehdi Benatia (Morocco, Juventus/ITA), Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool/ENG), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon,Arsenal/ENG), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria, Manchester City/ENG), Sadio Mane (Senegal, Liverpool/ENG), Walid Soliman (Egypt, Al Ahly)
Women’s Player of the Year
Abdulai Mukarama (Ghana), Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria), Bassira Toure (Mali), Chrestinah Kgatlana (South Africa), Elizabeth Addo (Ghana), Francisca Ordega (Nigeria), Gabrielle Onguene (Cameroon), Janine van Wyk (South Africa), Onome Ebi (Nigeria), Raissa Feudjio (Cameroon), Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi)
Youth Player of the Year
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast), Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria)
Coach of the Year
Aliou Cisse (Senegal), Herve Renard (Morocco), Moine Chaabani (Esperance/TUN)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Desiree Ellis (South Africa), Joseph Ndoko (Cameroon), Thomas Dennerby (Nigeria)
National Team of the Year
Madagascar, Mauritania, Uganda
Women’s National Team of the Year
Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa
