CAF Unveils 10-Man Shortlist For African Player Of The Year Award

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has published the shortlist for the 2019 African Footballer of the Year award composed of 10 players, including current holder, Liverpool forward Mohammed Salah.

The five nominees for the African Interclubs Player of the Year were also released alongside other categories for which winners will be announced at the Awards Gala scheduled to take place in Egypt on January 20.

Three Algerians Youcef Belaili, Ismail Bennacar and 2016 winner Riyad Mahrez feature on the list after their contributions to their country’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations victory.

As widely expected, Senegal forward Sadio Mane made the list, for his role in helping his side reach the continental title decider after 17-years.

Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ajax Amsterdam’s Hakim Ziyech of Morocco and Nigerian star Odion Ighalo were included for their efforts at club and national team levels, same with Cameroon’s Andre Onana and Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly.

The shortlist of nominees was decided upon by votes from a CAF Technical & Development Committee and a panel of media experts with an emphasis on the nominees’ performance during the year under review, 2019.

The names will now be passed on to head coaches and technical directors from CAF member associations who will vote to decide the eventual winners.

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.

Full list of shortlists are as follows (in alphabetical order)

Player of the Year

1. André Onana (Cameroon & Ajax)
2. Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax)
3. Ismail Bennacer (Algeria & AC Milan)
4. Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli)
5. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
6. Odion Ighalo (Nigeria & Shanghai Shenhua)
7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal)
8. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
9. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
10. Youcef Belaili (Algeria & Ahli Jeddah)

Women’s Player of the Year

1. Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga)
2. Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)
3. Gabrielle Onguene (Cameroon & CSKA Moscow)
4. Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning)
5. Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC)

Interclubs Player of the Year

1. Anice Badri (Tunisia & Esperance)
2. Kodjo Fo Doh Laba (Togo & RS Berkane / Al Ain)
3. Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance)
4. Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek)
5. Youcef Belaïli (Algeria & Esperance / Ahli Jeddah)

Youth Player of the Year

1. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund)
2. Krépin Diatta (Senegal & Club Brugge)
3. Moussa Djenepo (Mali & Southampton)
4. Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria & Villarreal)
5. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Lille)

Men’s Coach of the Year

1. Aliou Cisse (Senegal – Senegal)
2. Christian Gross (Switzerland – Zamalek)
3. Djamel Belmadi (Algeria – Algeria)
4. Moïne Chaâbani (Tunisia – Esperance)
5. Nicolas Dupuis (France – Madagascar)

Women’s Coach of the Year

1. Alain Djeumfa (Cameroon)
2. Bruce Mwape (Zambia)
3. Clementine Toure (Côte d’Ivoire)
4. Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
5. Thomas Dennerby (Nigeria)

Men’s National Team of the Year

1. Algeria
2. Madagascar
3. Nigeria
4. Senegal
5. Tunisia

Women’s National Team of the Year

1. Cameroon
2. Côte d’Ivoire
3. Nigeria
4. South Africa
5. Zambia