The Confederation of African Football, the continent’s number one football body has released the nomination list for the 2019 African Player of the Year awards with three Nigeria stars making the cut.
Retired Super Eagles striker and 2019 AFCON Golden Boot winner, Odion Ighalo headlines the list of footballers in the running for the prestigious CAF Best Player awards as announced by the football body on Sunday.
Lille’s Victor Osimhen was also rewarded with a nomination after enjoying a prolific 2019 in the colours of Nigeria, Belgium’s Sporting Charleroi and the French side.
Your African Player of the Year Nominees 🌍🏅
Who'll win the prestigious award? 🏆 #CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/vRhPh3IAz7
— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 24, 2019
In another category, the 20-year-old is the favourite to pick up the African Youth Player of the Year award but he faces stiff competition from countryman, Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze and fourteen other promising African youngsters for the award.
16 stars going head to head to be crowned Africa's best youth player 🔝🏆
Who'll make the final 3⃣? #CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/paPnMnuQAg
— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 24, 2019
Wilfred Ndidi makes up the three Nigerians on the CAF list following his outstanding displays for highflying Premier League side, Leicester City.
There was no place, however, for Everton’s Alex Iwobi despite scoring for former club Arsenal in the final of the Europa League back in May.
German Coach Gernot Rohr has made the shortlist for African Men’s Coach of the Year after leading the Super Eagles to a third place finish at the 2019 AFCON tournament.
5⃣ Club Coaches
5⃣ National Team CoachesNominees for the 2019 Coach of the Year 👇 #CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/5xEebiVqaG
— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 24, 2019
Both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons also earned nominations for the African Men’s National Team of the Year and African Women’s National Team of the Year respectively.
🇨🇲 The Nominees
🇨🇮 for the Best
🇰🇪 Women's National
🇳🇬 Team of the
🇿🇦 the Year
🇿🇲 #CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/h96MJmFu2c— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 24, 2019
In the women category of the award list, Super Falcons trio of Asisat Oshoala, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and Uchenna Kanu are among the ten female footballers in the running for African Women’s Player of the Year.
🔟⭐
1⃣🏆@FCBfemeni, @acmilan and @PFCCSKA_en represented in the #CAFAwards2019 Women Player of the Year Category 👇 pic.twitter.com/fusZ3I8DZ7— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 24, 2019
The winners of the awards will be announced at the 28th edition of CAF’s annual football awards which will take place on Tuesday, 7 January 2020, at Citadel Azure, Hurghada, Egypt.
African Player of the Year Nominees
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund)
André Onana (Cameroon & Ajax)
Baghdad Bounedjah (Algeria& Al-Sadd)
Carolus Andriamatsinoro (Madagascar & Al Adalah)
Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Cameroon & Paris Saint-Germain)
Ferjani Sassi(Tunisia & Zamalek)
Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax)
Idrissa Gueye (Senegal & Paris Saint-Germain)
Ismail Bennacer (Algeria & AC Milan)
Jordan Ayew (Ghana & Crystal Palace)
Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli)
Kodjo Fo Doh Laba (Togo & Al Ain)
Mahmoud Hassan”Trezeguet” (Egypt & Aston Villa)
Mbwana Samatta (Tanzania & Genk)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto)
Naby Keita (Guinea & Liverpool)
Nicolas Pepe (Côte d’Ivoire & Arsenal)
Odion Ighalo (Nigeria & Shanghai Shenhua)
Percy Tau (South Africa & Club Brugge)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance)
Thomas Teye Partey (Ghana & Atlético Madrid)
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Lille)
Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria & Leicester City)
Wilfried Zaha (Côte d’Ivoire & Crystal Palace)
Youcef Belaili (Algeria & Ahli Jeddah)
