Sports
SADIO Mane, Eric Bailly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lead the nominations for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) African Player of the Year award, but holder Riyad Mahrez is not in contention. Algeria international Mahrez, the 2016 winner, failed to make the shortlist after struggling to reproduce the form that inspired Leicester to a shock 2015-16 Premier League title.
Borussia Dortmund’s Gabon forward Aubameyang, who won the award the season before Mahrez, Liverpool’s Senegal international Mane and Manchester United’s Ivory Coast defender Bailly are among the 30 nominations. Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, 44, is also on a list largely dominated by players employed by European clubs.
Liverpool’s Egypt international Mohamed Salah, RB Leipzig’s Guinea midfielder Naby Keita, Chelsea’s Nigeria international Victor Moses and Ghana defender Thomas Partey, of Atletico Madrid, are also contenders.
Four players, meanwhile, are nominated for both the African Player of the Year and African Player of the Year Based in Africa — Ali Maaloul (Al Ahly and Tunisia), Percy Tau (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns), Dennis Onyango (Uganda, Mamelodi Sundowns) and Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia, Zesco United).
The winners are determined by votes from national coaches, technical directors, CAF committee members and media representatives and will be announced at a ceremony in Ghana early next year. – ESPN
– Nov 1, 2017 @ 18:12 GMT |
Tags: Liverpool's Mane Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Riyad Mahrez SADIO Mane United's Bailly on African Player award shortlist
