CAF names Asamoah Gyan in Africa Player of the Year shortlists

Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has been shortlisted by CAF for the 2013 African Player of the Year and the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) awards.

The Al Ain striker is one of 10 players who have been shortlisted following voting from members of the Technical & Development and the Media Committees from the initial list of nominees.

Ten (10) players made the cut for the flagship African Player of the Year category, and five (5) for the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa).

The Head Coaches of the National Associations affiliated to CAF will vote in their order of preference to decide on the eventual winners of the two categories.

Initially, twenty-five (25) players were named for African Player of the Year category, and twenty-one (21) for the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa).

The winners will be announced at the Glo-CAF Awards Gala scheduled for Thursday, January 9, 2014 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Ivorian Yaya Toure is the reigning African Player of the Year and Mohamed Aboutrika of Egypt for the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa).

The nominees are (in alphabetical order);

Top 10 African Player of the Year

 

Name: Ahmed Musa

Club: CSKA Moscow (Russia)

Date of Birth: October 14, 1992
Country: Nigeria

He was a member of the Nigeria squad 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.   

Name: Asamoah Gyan

Date of Birth: November 22, 1985

Country: Ghana
Club: Al Ain (United Arab Emirates)

As captain of the Black Stars, 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.

Name: Didier Drogba
Date of Birth: March 11, 1978

Country: Cote d’Ivoire

Club: Galatasaray (Turkey)

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.

Name: Emmanuel Emenike
Date of Birth: May 10, 1987

Country: Nigeria

Club: Fenerbahce (Turkey)

Emenike is currently Nigeria’s most reliable face in attack. He was topscorer (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”.

Name: John Obi Mikel

Date of Birth: April 22, 1987

Country: Nigeria

Club: Chelsea (England)

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 September 21 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.

Name: Jonathan Pitroipa

Date of Birth: April 12, 1986

Country: Burkina Faso
Club: Stade Rennes (France)

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.

Name: Mohamed Aboutreika

Date of Birth: November 7, 1978

Country: Egypt

Club: Ahly (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.

Name: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Date of Birth: June 18, 1989

Country: Gabon
Club: Borussia Dortmund (Germany)

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.

Name: Vincent Enyeama

Date of Birth: August 29, 1982

Country: Nigeria

Club: Lille (France)

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.

Name: Yaya Toure

Date of Birth: May 13, 1983

Country: Cote d’Ivoire

Club: Manchester City (England) 

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 times in 11 games.

Top 5 African Player of the Year (Based in Africa)

 

Name: Ahmed Fathy

Date of Birth: November 10, 1984

Country: Egypt

Club: Al Ahly

After a short spell in England with Hull City, Fathy returned to lead Al Ahly to an unprecedented eighth Orange CAF Champions League title. He was on target during the 4-2 win over bitterest rivals, Zamalek at the group phase. The energetic 29-year old who can play in defence and midfield, provided an assist for Ahmed Abdel Zaher in the second goal of the final against Orlando Pirates. He was also a key member of the Egypt squad that reached the 2014 FIFA World Cup playoffs.

Name: Mohamed Aboutreika

Date of Birth: November 7, 1978

Country: Egypt

Club: Ahly (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.

Name: Rainford Kalaba

Date of Birth: August 14, 1986

Country: Zambia

Club: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

The Zambian midfielder scored more success with club in 2013 than with country but remains a key element for both. He scored for TP Mazembe against CA Bizertin at the group phase and also in the first leg of the semi-final against Stade Malien of Mali in Bamako. Kalaba also tasted action for Zambia in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Name: Sunday Mba
Date of Birth: November 28, 1988

Country: Nigeria

Club: Warri Wolves

Mba was the biggest revelation at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, where Nigeria emerged champions. One of few local players in the Nigeria squad, he paid back the confidence in him by head coach Stephen Keshi with decisive goals in the quarter-final and final against Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso respectively. After a failed move to Europe, he featured for Enugu Rangers in the Orange CAF Confederation Cup this year, where they were knockout at the 1/8th round.

Name: Tresor Mputu Mabi

Date of Birth: 10 December 1985

Club: TP Mazembe

Country: DR Congo

He is the captain of both the DR Congo national team and club side, TP Mazembe. Mputu continues to score regularly netting three strikes at the group stage of the Orange CAF Confederation Cup. He scored in both semi-final matches against Stade Malien taking Mazembe into the final. Mputu was part of DR Congo team at the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations tournament in South Africa, scoring in the opening 2-2 draw with Ghana. He also scored four goals during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.