Twelve players have been nominated to succeed Gaël Kakuta as the winner of the prize given yearly to the best African player in the French elite division
Nantes winger Moses Simon has been named among the twelve players on the final shortlist for the 2022 Marc-Vivien Foé Prize.
The Marc-Vivien Foé award, named in honour of the player from Cameroon who died in 2003 at the age of 28, is
given to the best player representing an African national football team in Ligue 1.
Two Nigerians had previously scooped the award, with goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama claiming the prize in 2014 before Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen clinched it two years ago. Last year, Democratic Republic of Congo’s Gaël Kakuta won the prestigious honour.
Simon is a strong contender for the award this year, following his brilliant campaign for Nantes. The former Gent ace is one of the reasons why the Yellow Canaries are flying high in the French top-flight.
The 26-year-old Nigerian international has contributed 26 percent (three goals and seven assists) of Nantes’ league goals this term. Simon’s exploits were rewarded earlier in the season when he won Nantes’ player of the month awards for August and September.
The exciting winger, however, faces stiff opposition from 11 other African stars, including Paris Saint-Germain’s Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi and Cameroonian Karl Toko Ekambi.
The winner will be announced on May 16, 2022.
Full List
1. Yunis ABDELHAMID (Stade Rennes, Morocco)
2. Nayef AGUERD (Stade Rennes, Morocco)
3. Achraf HAKIMI (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco)
4. Sofiane BOUFAL (Angers, Morocco)
5. Mohamed BAYO (Clermont Foot, Guinea)
6. Seko FOFANA (Lens, Ivory Coast)
7. Idrissa Gana GUEYE (Senegal, Paris Saint-Germain)
8. Wahbi KHAZRI (Saint-Étienne, Tunisia)
9. Mario Lemina (OGC Nice, Gabon)
10. Moses SIMON (FC Nantes, Nigeria)
11. Karl TOKO-EKAMBI (Cameroon)
12. Hamari TRAORÉ (Mali, Rennes)
