Yaya tipped for top award
CAIRO — Manchester City’s Yaya Toure will be favourite to collect a record fourth successive African Footballer of the Year crown after he was named in the list of final three nominees by the Confederation of African Football.
The Cote d’Ivoire midfielder faces competition from Borussia Dortmund and Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as well as Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, who plays for Lille.
Toure has collected the award for the last three years, matching the feat achieved by Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o and Ghana’s Abedi Pele.
Victory again would mean he joins Eto’o on four titles overall but would be the first player to reach that milestone in consecutive seasons. The award is voted for by the head coaches of the 56 national associations within the African governing body.
The winner will be announced in Lagos on January 8.
Below is the final list.
African Player of the Year
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon and Borussia Dortmund), Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria and Lille), Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire and Manchester City)
African Player of the Year – Based in Africa
Akram Djahnit (Algeria and ES Setif), El Hedi Belamieri (Algeria and ES Setif), Firmin Mubele Ndombe (DR Congo and AS Vita)
Women’s Player of the Year
Annette Ngo Ndom (Cameroon and Amazon Grimstad), Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and River Angels),
Desire Oparanozie (Nigeria and Guingamp)
Youth Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and River Angels), Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon and Barcelona), Uchechi Sunday (Nigeria and River Angels)
Most Promising Talent
Clinton N’jie (Cameroon and Olympique Lyon), Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon and Porto), Yacine Brahimi (Algeria and Porto)
Coach of the Year
Florent Ibenge (DR Congo), Kheireddine Madoui (ES Setif), Vahid Halilhodžic (Former coach of Algeria)
National Team of the Year
Algeria, Libya, Nigeria
Women’s National Team of the Year
Cameroon, Nigeria, Nigeria U-20
Club of the Year
Al Ahly (Egypt), AS Vita (DR Congo), ES Setif (Algeria)
Football Leader of the Year
Moise Katumbi Chapwe — President of TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
African Legend award
Oryx Club (Cameroon) — winners of the maiden edition of CAF Champions League 1964
Stade Malien (Mali) — Runner up of the maiden edition of CAF Champion’s League 1964 — Reuters.
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