African_Player_of_the_Year

African Footballer of the Year

African Footballer of the Year

Award

The African Footballer of the Year award, presented to the best African footballer each year, has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1992.

Victor Osimhen is the latest winner, receiving the award in 2023

Samuel Eto'o and Yaya Touré have won the award the most times (4 wins each), Two-time winner Didier Drogba is the player with the most runner-up appearances (4), most third place finishes (3), and most times in the top three (9). The France-born Frédéric Kanouté, Riyad Mahrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are the only European-born players to win the award (both Kanouté and Aubameyang initially featured for France's U21 squad before going on to represent Mali and Gabon, respectively).[1][2] The winner of the 2023 edition is Victor Osimhen.

History

An earlier African Footballer of the Year Golden Ball award was given out between 1970 and 1994 by France Football magazine. The changes resulted in parallel Golden Ball awards given out to Abedi Pele and George Weah in 1993[3] and 1994[4] by the magazine, although the CAF sponsored awards for those years were won respectively by Rashidi Yekini and Emmanuel Amuneke, as well as two awards given to Abedi Pele in 1992.[5] France Football discontinued the election from 1995 after the European Ballon d'Or – also awarded by the magazine – had been opened to all players in the European leagues.[6] In 1991 the magazine Afrique Football installed an award. It was discontinued in 2003.[5]

In 2023, Algerian footballer Riyad Mahrez was not chosen as a finalist for the award.[7] Mahrez's absence was perceived as a snub by media and the Algerian football community.[8][9] Algerian manager Abdelhak Benchikha, nominated for Best African Coach, said he would not attend the CAF awards ceremony in solidarity with Mahrez, Algerian club USM Alger, and Algerian footballer Zinedine Belaid.[10] Walid Sadi, the president of the Algerian Football Federation, also said that he would not attend the ceremony as a show of support for Mahrez.[11]

Winners

France Football award (1970–1994)

Salif Keita, the first player to win the award in 1970.
Mahmoud El Khatib was the first player from Egypt to win the award in 1983.
Roger Milla, two-time winner of the award given by France Football.
Abedi Pele, won the award three consecutive times from 1991-1993 and also won both France Football award and new CAF award in 1992.

The award by France Football magazine of non-European nationality, the award being given to George Weah that year. It had already been replaced by an official award given out by the Confederation of African Football since 1992.[12]

More information Year, Rank ...

Afrique Football award (Etoile d'Or) (1991–2003)

More information Year, Rank ...

CAF award (1992–present)

George Weah won the award in 1995 (the same year he was named FIFA World Player of the Year and also received the Ballon d'Or)
Samuel Eto'o won the award four times.
Didier Drogba was the first Ivorian to win the award in 2006.
Yaya Touré won the award four consecutive times from 2011 to 2014.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the first player from Gabon to win the award in 2015.
Riyad Mahrez won his first award in 2016.
Mohamed Salah won the award twice in a row, in 2017 and 2018.
More information Year, Rank ...

Multiple winners

* Players in bold are currently active

More information Player, Winner ...

Awards won by nationality

More information Nation, Winners ...

Awards won by club

More information Club, Winners ...

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Kanoute named Africa's best
  2. [2]
    "Furious Drogba Slams CAF Over Kanoute Award And Pulls Out". Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
  3. [3]
    "African Player of the Year 1993". Rsssf.com. 5 January 2001. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  4. [4]
    "African Player of the Year 1994". Rsssf.com. 5 January 2001. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  5. [5]
    "African Player of the Year". rsssf.com. 1 January 2000. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  6. [6]
    "African Player of the Year". rsssf.com. 1 January 2000. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  7. [7]
    "Riyad Mahrez non retenu pour le trophée du meilleur joueur de la CAF, une omission qui fait tache" [Riyad Mahrez not selected for the CAF Best Player Award, an omission that leaves a stain.]. www.goal.com (in French). 7 December 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  8. [8]
    "Ballon d'or africain: Hakimi parmi les trois finalistes mais une absence va faire parler" [African Ballon d'Or: Hakimi among the three finalists, but one absence will be talked about.]. RMC SPORT (in French). Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  9. [9]
    "Algérie : Mahrez absent du titre de meilleur joueur, la colère des Fennecs" [Algeria: Mahrez absent from the title of best player, the anger of the Desert Foxes.]. Onze Mondial (in French). 7 December 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  10. [10]
    "Nominé pour les CAF Awards, il surprend, "Même si j'avais été invité, je n'y serais pas allé"" [Nominated for the CAF Awards, he surprises, "Even if I had been invited, I wouldn't have gone."] (in French). 11 December 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  11. [11]
    "Algeria boycotts CAF Awards over 'unfair' withdrawal of Mahrez from final list". sportsbrief.com. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  12. [12]
    "Football: All African Footballers of the Year - Complete list". Olympics.com. 11 December 2023. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  13. [13]
    "African Player of the Year 1991". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 9 January 2001. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  14. [14]
    "African Player of the Year 1992". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  15. [15]
    "African Player of the Year 1993". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  16. [16]
    "African Player of the Year 1994". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  17. [17]
    "African Player of the Year 1998". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  18. [18]
    "African Player of the Year 2002". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  19. [19]
    "African Player of the Year 2003". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  20. [20]
    "Victor Osimhen wins African player of the year award". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
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