CAF has released the 10-man-shortlist for African Men’s Player of the Year pruning out 20 of the initial 30-man list including the only Super Eagles star that made the list, Moses Simon.

Nantes midfielder, Moses Simon was Nigeria’s best player and part of Group Stage best eleven at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.

Sadio Mane and four current Premier League players are among the nominees for the honour.

CAF has not held this award ceremony since Sadio Mane won it in 2019 due to the COVID 19 Pandemic.

Senegal’s all-time top scorer, Sadio Mane who recently joined German champions, Bayern Munich is the favourite for this award after leading his country to their first-ever AFCON title, and to the FIFA World Cup.

Mane’s former club teammate and longtime national team rival, Mohammed Salah is also a strong contender for this award, after leading Egypt to the AFCON final and winning the golden boot and playmaker award in the Premier League last season.

The other English Premier League players nominated are Chelsea’s Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, Manchester City’s Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez who won the Premier League and Guinean Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita.

The other players nominated are Senegalese captain, Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Karl Toko Ekambi (Lyon, Cameroon), Sebastien Haller (Ivory Coast and Borussia Dortmund), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco and Paris St-Germain), and AFCON top scorer Vincent Aboubakar (Al Nassr)

Full Nominee List

  • Riyad Mahrez (Algeria and Manchester City)
  • Karl Toko Ekambi (Cameroon and Lyon)
  • Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon and Al Nassr)
  • Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)
  • Naby Keita (Guinea and Liverpool)
  • Sebastien Haller (Ivory Coast and Dortmund)
  • Achraf Hakimi (Morocco and PSG)
  • Edouard Mendy (Senegal and Chelsea)
  • Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal and Napoli)
  • Sadio Mane (Senegal and Bayern Munich)

The award winner will be announced on July 21, 2022.

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