GLO-CAF Africa Footballer of The Year Award, Ten Players Shortlisted (See List)

Abuotreik

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, last week made public the Top 10 of the Glo-CAF African Footballer Award out of which it will be pruned down to Top 5 and the last Top 3 where the winner of the prestigious award will be unveiled at a lavish ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria on 9 January. Cafonline wrote on the profiles of the Top 10 shortlist.

Ahmed Musa, CSKA Moscow (Russia), 14 October, 1992, Nigeria:  He was a member of the Nigeria’s Super Eagles that won the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations and also featured at the FIFA Confederations Cup later in Brazil. With CSKA Moscow, Musa won every title in Russia – League, League Cup and the Super Cup during the 2012/2013 season, scoring five times in the process. He has scored five times for his club in the ongoing 2013/2014 season.

Musa

Asamoah Gyan, Al Ain (UAE), 22 Nov., 1985, Ghana: As captain of the Black Stars of Ghana, he was the top marksman for the team in the World Cup qualifiers with six goals. 

He also scored once as the Stars placed fourth at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. Gyan has had a stellar year emerging top scorer for the 2012-13 UAE Pro-League, firing 30 goals and powering Al Ain to the title. He has also scored eight times in six appearances in the 2013-14 season.

Gyan

Didier Drogba, Galatasaray (Turkey), 11 March, 1978, Cote d’Ivoire: At 35, Drogba has yet to lose his shine, scoring three goals as the Elephants reached a third successive World Cup appearance.

 The striker has bounced back from a disappointing spell in China and has been banging the goals in Turkey. He scored five in 13 appearances during Galatasaray’s triumph in the 2012-13 season.

 In the current season, Drogba has scored nine times in all competitions for Galatasaray including the UEFA Champions League.

Drogba

Emmanuel Emenike, Fenerbahce (Turkey), 10 May, 1987, Nigeria: Emenike is currently Nigeria’s most reliable face in attack. He was top scorer (4 goals) at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa where the Super Eagles emerged champions. He has recovered from an injury that kept him out of the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil to put Nigeria within sight of a place at next year’s World Cup, scoring thrice in the process. With Fenerbahce, he has scored three times in the 2013-14 “Turkish Super Lig”.

Emenike

•John Obi Mikel, Chelsea (England), 22 April, 1987, Nigeria: Mikel is enjoying probably his best moment in football. A regular with the star-studded Chelsea, he played an influential role in the buildup to the 2013 UEFA Europa League crown. In 21 September this year, he broke his goal duck in the English Premier League with his first goal in 185 matches in a 2-0 win over Fulham. Also, he netted a cracker against Uruguay at the FIFA Confederation Cup in Brazil in July besides claiming a gold medal with the Super Eagles at the Africa Cup of Nations. He was also instrumental for Nigeria in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Mikel

Jonathan Pitroipa, Stade Rennes (France), 12 April, 1986, Burkina Faso: Pitroipa was the star of the Burkina Faso team that reached the final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. His red card against Ghana at the semis drew so much controversy before CAF eventually overturned it, making him eligible for the final. He was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. He also scored three times in Burkina Faso run to the World Cup Playoffs. A regular for Stade Rennes, he has made 10 appearances in the current season but yet to score.

Pitroipa

Mohamed Aboutreika, Ahly (Egypt), 7 Nov., 1978, Egypt: At the twilight of his career, Aboutreika yet again proved he is nowhere near the finish line. He scored six goals for Egypt in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers including one on his centenary appearance with the Pharaohs against Guinea. With Ahly, he was the pivot as the Egyptian giants retained the CAF Champions League title scoring in both legs in the final. He scored five times in the campaign as Ahly cruised to an unprecedented eighth title despite the absence of a football competition in Egypt in two years.

Abuotreika

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, B/Dortmund (Germany), 18 June, 1989, Gabon: Aubameyang was on target three times for Gabon (a hat-trick against Niger) during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as Les Panthers failed to reach the Playoffs. His was however been in superb form at club level. He emerged second top scorer in Ligue 1 with 19 goals during 2012-13 season, and also guiding Saint Etienne to the Coupe de La Ligue (French League Cup). In July, he joined German side Borussia Dortmund and has scored eight times in all appearances. He also won the German Super Cup with Dortmund after a 4-2 win over Bayern Munich.

Aubameyang

Vincent Enyeama, Lille (France), 29 August, 1982, Nigeria: The achievement of Nigeria cannot be mentioned without the name of goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama. The shot-stopper is arguably the finest on the continent after superb showings at the Africa Cup of Nations, FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil and the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He was named the safest pair of hands as Nigeria won the continental crown in South Africa earlier in the year. He also made a name himself with Lille in the French “Ligue 1” having not conceded since September 15; with an eye-popping 14 clean sheets from 16 games and 1035 minutes in total.

Enyeama

•Yaya Toure, Man. City (England), 13 May, 1983, Cote d’Ivoire: Winner of the last two editions of the African Player of the Toure is still at his peak. He scored two goals including a spectacular free-kick against Tunisia at the group stage. Though the Elephants failed to go past the quarters, he has served the pillar of the Ivorian team in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, netting four goals in the process. At Manchester City, he is a cult figure and has been the driving force for the club. For the current 2013-14 season, the midfielder has found the back of the net five.

Toure

Source: PM News