Moroccans Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigerian Rasheedat Ajibade are the contenders for the African women’s player of the year title.

Currently injured, full-back Hakimi helped Paris Saint-Germain win the UEFA Champions League for the first time and finish runners-up to Chelsea in the final of the expanded Club World Cup.

If fit, the 27-year-old will lead hosts Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations from December 21 as they seek to win the competition for the first time since 1976.

Twice winner of the African award, Salah has been struggling lately after an outstanding contribution to Liverpool winning the Premier League a record-equalling 20th time last season.

The 33-year-old won the 2024-25 Premier League Golden Boot award with 29 goals, six more than Alexander Isak, who has since moved from Newcastle United to Liverpool.

Osimhen, from top Turkish outfit Galatasaray, has been outstanding recently for club and country, but some of his achievements will not count as the deadline for the judges was October 15.

That rules out a Champions League hat-trick against Ajax in Amsterdam and two goals in a 2026 World Cup play-off victory over Gabon last Thursday.

Paris Saint-Germain star Ajibade was voted the best player at the Africa women’s Cup of Nations this year after Nigeria came from two goals behind to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final.

Saudi Arabia-based Chebbak, the daughter of former Moroccan men’s star Larbi Chebbak, was the leading scorer in the competition with five goals.

Another Moroccan forward, Mssoudy has helped make Rabat club FAR one of the strongest in Africa. They won the CAF women’s Champion League three years ago and reached the 2025 semifinals this weekend.

The annual African men’s and women’s awards ceremony will be staged in Moroccan capital Rabat on Wednesday.

CAF technical and development committee members, coaches, former stars and selected media representatives selected the nominees.

Despite missing out on qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the four-time African champions bounced back strongly to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Their resurgence and impressive performances during the World Cup qualifiers have placed them among the elite nominees for this year’s continental honours.

Ghana will compete against other top national teams, including Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, the reigning African champions, Cape Verde, who recently clinched their first-ever World Cup berth, and the Atlas Cubs of Morocco, current U-20 world champions.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is yet to announce the official date and venue for the prestigious 2025 awards ceremony.

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The Atalanta forward saw off competition from Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams.

Lookman is the second consecutive Nigerian to claim the award after Victor Osimhen in 2023.

Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda made history as the first Zambian to win the women’s prize, finishing ahead of Moroccan Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie.

The winners are voted for by a panel of experts which includes members of Caf’s technical committee plus African media professionals, players and coaches.

Lookman’s standout year

Lookman, 27, was hot favourite to pick up the award for the first time in his career after an impressive 2023-24 season.

He played a key role in helping his Italian club win the first European trophy in their history with a memorable hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen – making him the sixth player to score a treble in a European club final and the first since 1975.

On the international scene, Lookman was named in the team of the tournament at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, scoring three goals as the Super Eagles finished as runners-up to the hosts in February.

The former Everton, Fulham and Leicester City player was also the only African on this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, finishing 14th.

Lookman has again proved instrumental for Atalanta this season, scoring eight goals in Serie A to help his team go top of the table.

Banda’s back-to-back awards

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Barbra Banda (left) scored the decisive goal as Orlando Pride won November’s NWSL Championship final 1-0 against Washington Spirit

Banda’s success comes less than a month after she was voted the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year.

The 24-year-old was also named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) as she fired her team Orlando Pride to a first title.

The striker’s 17 goals resulted in her finishing second in the scoring charts – behind only Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga – with her most crucial strike coming in the Championship final as Pride beat Washington Spirit 1-0.

Banda was also in fine form for her country at the Paris Olympics, scoring four goals for Zambia’s Copper Queens, including a first-half hat-trick against Australia.

Her 10 goals spread across two Games have made her the leading African scorer in Olympic history.

Glittering line-up

To celebrate the continent’s top footballing performances over the past year, Caf put on a show of its own with a host of top African artists taking to the stage.

Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz and Moroccan singer Dystinct led the entertainment on a night when Cameroon’s President Paul Biya was given an outstanding achievement award.

It was presented on stage by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who also congratulated Morocco after the nation was confirmed as co-hosts for the 2030 World Cup last week.

It was a good night for South Africa captain Williams, who – despite missing out on the main men’s award – walked off with two trophies. The Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper was named the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year and the Men’s Interclub Player of the Year.

On a star-studded night in Marrakesh, it was also revealed who made the Caf/Fifpro men’s and women’s Best XI line-ups.

2024 Caf Awards winners

Men’s Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria & Atalanta)

Women’s Player of the Year: Barbra Banda (Zambia & Orlando Pride)

Men’s Coach of the Year: Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast)

Women’s Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)

Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)

Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria & Paris FC)

Men’s Club of the Year: Al Ahly (Egypt)

Women’s Club of the Year: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

Men’s Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)

Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco & AS Far)

Men’s Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara (Senegal & Monaco)

Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani (Morocco & AS Far)

Men’s National Team of the Year: Ivory Coast

Women’s National Team of the Year: Nigeria

Goal of the Year (voted for by fans): Cristovao Mabululu (Angola) – Angola v Namibia (Afcon 2023)

Kudus, 23, in the year under review has been exceptional not only for the Ghana national team but at the club level where he excelled for Ajax and West Ham United.

Partey on the other hand has been a key man for Arsenal and the Black Stars although he has had troubles with injuries.

The other players who made it into the CAF team of the year include: Andre Onana, Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, Sadio Mane as well as Mohammed Kudus.

CAF Team of the Year.

Andre Onana, Achraf Hakimi, Chancel Mbemba, Kalidou Koubaly, Thomas Partey, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Mohammed Kudus, Sofyan Amrabat, Sadio Mane, Victor Osimhen, Mohammed Salah.

Osimhen, the Nigerian striker who made headlines in Italy and also for his contribution in the Super Eagles jersey, won the CAF African Player of the Year for the first time while his compatriot, Oshoala won her record sixth CAF African Women’s Player of the Year.

Osimhen’s remarkable journey saw him fend off stiff competition from Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian striker Mohammed Salah.

Nigerian icon Oshoala secured the CAF Women’s Player of the Year for a record sixth time. The attacker’s dominance continued as she inspired Barcelona to Champions League glory, finishing as the club’s top scorer with 27 goals across all competitions.

Morocco’s Walid Regragui was crowned CAF’s Best Coach of the Year in the Men’s category – recognised for guiding the Atlas Lions to a historic World Cup semi-final run in Qatar.

South Africa’s Desiree Ellis secured the Best Coach award in the women’s category for her outstanding work with Banyana Banyana. This was Ellis’ record fourth award in this category, which she has won consistently since 2018.

In CAF InterClub, South Africa and Al Ahly’s Percy Tau won the CAF InterClub Player of the Year.

Senegal’s Lamine Camara, the 19-year-old FC Metz forward, clinched the CAF Young Player of the Year award, marking his meteoric rise in African football.

Moroccan prodigy Nesryne El Chad won the inaugural CAF Women’s Young Player of the Year award.

Morocco won the Men’s National Team award following their performance at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, while Nigeria won the Women’s National Team of the Year award.

Egyptian giants Al Ahly clinched the Male Club of the Year award, with the women’s award going to South African side Mamelodi Sundowns.

South Africa dominated the continent’s Best XI players in the Women Category while two members of Morocco’s World Cup semi-final team were included in the male version.

The ultimate winners in each category were decided through a voting process involving a panel comprising CAF Technical Committee, Head Coaches, National Team captains and media professionals.

Full List of Award Winners:

Player of the Year (Men): Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Napoli)

Player of the Year (Women): Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria, Barcelona)

Interclub Player of the Year (Men): Percy Tau (South Africa, Al Ahly)

Interclub Player of the Year (Women): Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco, AS FAR)

Coach of the Year (Men): Walid Regragui (Morocco)

Coach of the Year (Women): Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

Goalkeeper of the Year (Men): Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal)

Goalkeeper of the Year (Women): Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC)

Young Player of the Year (Men): Lamine Camara (Senegal, Metz)

Young Player of the Year (Women): Nesryne El Chad (Morocco, Lille)

National Team of the Year (Men): Morocco

National Team of the Year (Women): Nigeria

Club of the Year (Men): Al Ahly (Egypt)

Club of the Year (Women): Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

Men’s Africa XI (As compiled by FIFPRO Africa)

The Banyana Banyana coach, who guided South Africa to their first-ever TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and second FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance retains the same accolade she won in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

Besides Ellis, no coach has won the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award thanks to the former Banyana Banyana captain’s tactical acumen and dominance that keeps improving as the years go by.

Ellis was nominated alongside Reynald Pedros of Morocco as well as fellow countryman, Jerry Tshabalala who won his second CAF Women’s Champions League title with Mamelodi Sundowns in Cote d’Ivoire recently.

The 48-year-old claimed African football’s top individual coaching prize at Monday’s awards ceremony in Marrakech after a remarkable 2022.

Regragui’s incredible impact saw him beat Senegal’s Aliou Cisse and Algeria’s Abdelhak Benchika to the coaching award.

Cisse was seeking to retain his crown after steering Senegal to AFCON glory last February before a last 16 World Cup run.

But Regragui won polls among coaches and media as his remarkable revolution with Morocco’s talented team claimed another deserved prize.

The Atlas Lions coach took charge of the side just three months before the World Cup but worked wonders to become the first African coach to reach the last four.

Victories over Belgium and Spain highlighted Morocco’s incredible campaign under a coach who has taken the football world by storm.

Regragui had only been appointed by the Morocco Football Federation in August after winning the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League with Wydad Casablanca.

Yet he transformed Morocco from outsiders into trailblazers who came within a whisker of the final before losing to defending champions France.

Egypt captain Salah won the Confederation of African Football (Caf) award in 2017 and 2018 – and was runner-up to Sadio Mane in 2019 and 2022 – while right-back Hakimi played a crucial role in Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals at the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

Yet Osimhen was the highest-ranked African player in the 2023 Men’s Ballon d’Or vote, finishing eighth after scoring 26 goals last season to help Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years.

But, should he be overlooked, the 24-year-old will join a long list of illustrious players who failed to win the biggest individual prize on the continent.

BBC Sport Africa profiles some of the other big names from across the continent who missed out on the Caf award.

Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria)

Regarded as one of the best dribblers in the history of the game, Super Eagles midfield maestro Okocha made the Caf shortlist three times.

He was a central part of Nigeria’s golden generation which won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games, beating Brazil and Argentina on the way.

Okocha’s brightest moment was at the 1998 World Cup in France, dazzling with his dribbling skills as Nigeria exited in the round of 16, but he narrowly missed out to Morocco’s Mustapha Hadji at the Caf awards that year by just two points.

He was again named on the shortlist in 2003 and 2004 but finished third on both occasions, with Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o gaining the prize despite Okocha finishing as joint top scorer and man of the competition at the 2004 Afcon.

Meanwhile, former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel took second place in 2013 while ex-Everton striker Daniel Amokachi rounded off the podium in both 1995 and 1996.

Michael Essien (Ghana)

Another mercurial midfielder from West Africa, Essien was combative in the middle of the park and had a knack for scoring spectacular long-range goals.

Essien won back-to-back French titles with Lyon and was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2005 before joining Chelsea for a then-African record fee of £24.4 million.

The Ghana international became a key man for the Blues over the course of almost a decade at Stamford Bridge, helping the west London club win two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League in 2012.

He made the Caf award shortlist every year from 2005 to 2009, and finished second behind Mali striker Frederic Kanoute in 2007.

Ghana’s all-time leading goalscorer Asamoah Gyan is another notable name to miss out, finishing behind Eto’o in 2010, while Bayern Munich and Black Stars centre-back Samuel Kuffour was second in both 1999 and 2001.

Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)

Egypt were an unstoppable force in African football between 2006 and 2010, lifting three consecutive Afcon titles. and one man at the heart of that all-conquering Pharaohs side was Aboutrika.

An attacking midfielder with an eye for goal, he was prolific for his country and for club side Al Ahly, where he won five African Champions League and four Caf Super Cup titles.

Aboutrika won Caf’s inter-club Player of the Year award four times, was named in Caf’s Team of the Year four times and was selected in the Afcon Dream Team twice.

His desire not to leave his home country for a career elsewhere may have hurt his chances of winning the major Caf award, with the closest he came being a second-place finish behind Emmanuel Adebayor in 2008.

Egypt striker Hossam Hassan also missed out over the course of his two-decade career which saw him win three Afcon titles and finish as top scorer in the 1998 tournament.

Benni McCarthy (South Africa)

Joint top scorer at the 1998 Afcon with seven goals (alongside Hassan) and a Champions League winner with Porto in 2004, McCarthy was one of Africa’s most potent strikers of his generation.

His partnership up front with Shaun Bartlett made Bafana Bafana one of the continent’s top sides and he featured at the World Cup in 1998 and 2002.

However, McCarthy missed out on selection for the South Africa squads which won the 1996 Afcon on home soil and hosted the 2010 World Cup.

Despite a trophy-laden career in the Netherlands and Portugal, McCarthy never made it onto the shortlist for the Caf award.

Elsewhere in southern Africa, Christopher Katongo was overlooked in 2012 after captaining Zambia to a shock Afcon triumph – yet the forward could console himself with being voted the 2012 BBC African Footballer of the Year, winning with more than 40% of public votes.

Seydou Keita (Mali)

The midfielder was a key part of Pep Guardiola’s dominant Barcelona side which won three consecutive La Liga titles between 2009 and 2011, having become the first Malian to represent the Catalan club after joining from Sevilla in 2008.

He won the Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup with Barca in 2009 and 2011, and also was included in Caf’s Team of the Year following those triumphs.

Keita was named in second place behind Yaya Toure for the 2011 award, and he went on to help Mali to third-place finishes at the 2012 and 2013 editions of Afcon.

Kalidou Koulibaly is another West African who has missed out in the individual prize, which was not awarded in 2020 or 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, the centre-back captained Senegal to the Afcon title last year but saw Teranga Lions team-mates Mane and Edouard Mendy on the podium with Salah instead.

The Queens, who are currently unbeaten under Nora Häuptlewould compete with nine other teams such as Burkina Faso, Burundi, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

Currently, the Black Queens have qualified to the third round of the Olympic Games in Paris next year and they are also in the final round of the qualifiers for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Black Queens will face Zambia in the next round of the qualifying games.

Meanwhile, Ampem Darkoa Ladies’ Tracey Twum and Comfort Yeboah have also been nominated for the 2023 Interclub Player of the Year award at the CAF Awards.

The two players have been on the rise since the start of the last season and continue to shine both on the local and continental stages.

Comfort Yeboah and Mary Amponsah have gained nomination for the Young Player of the Year.

Black Princesses assistant and Ampem Darkoa Ladies head coach, Joe Nana Adarkwa has also been nominated for Coach of the Year for the Women’s category.

The event is scheduled to take place on December 11 in Morocco.

The former FC Nordsjaelland attacker earned the nomination following his fine performance during the 2022/23 football season and the ongoing campaign.

The Black Stars winger will have to beat off competition from Alio (Senegal), Souleymane, Gift Orban (Nigeria), Bilal El Khannouss (Morocco), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Morocco), Pape Diop (Senegal), Papa Amadou Diallo), Lamine Camara (Senegal), Amara Diuf (Senegal), and Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso),

The 20-year-old gained prominence during his first full season in European football with Nordsjaelland last season, where he scooped three prestigious awards.

He bagged the Young Player of the Year, Best Player for Spring (chosen by coaches), and Player of the Season (selected by fellow players) in the Danish top-flight last campaign.

The highly-rated attacker racked up 15 goals and provided 4 assists in 34 games for Nordjaelland. His impressive performance did not go unnoticed as he secured a big-money move to French giants, Olympique Lyon in the summer window.

Nuamah made his debut for the Black Stars in June, coming on as a substitute when Ghana played Madagascar in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers. He has since established himself as a regular, scoring three goals for the national team.

He also showcased his skills at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, contributing a goal in three games.

Per a statement released by CAF, the ceremony will be held on Monday, December 11, 2023, in the city of Marrakesh, Morocco.

Below are the nominees for the 2023 CAF Young Player of the Year award:

Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso and Bournemouth)

Souleymane Alio (Burkina Faso and New Stars)

Ernest Nuamah (Ghana & Olympique Lyonnais)

Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Morocco and Betis)

Bilal El Khannous (Morocco and Genk)

Gift Orban (Nigeria and KAA Gent)

Lamine Camara (Senegal and Generation Foot/Metz)

Pape Amadou Diallo (Senegal and Generation Foot/Metz)

Pape Demba Diop (Senegal and Zulte Waregem)

Amara Diouf (Senegal and Generation Foot)

Partey, who plies his trade for Premier League giants, Arsenal has been recognized following an impressive performance between November 2022 and September 2023 for both club and country.

The former Atletico Madrid star was instrumental for the Gunners, who finished second in the Premier League and secured qualification back to the UEFA Champions League.

Meanwhile, Kudus, who joined West Ham during the summer transfer window from Ajax has also earned a place on the list.

Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen, and Riyad Mahrez, among other top African players, have all been nominated.

Senegal forward, Sadio Mane was crowned CAF African Player of the Year whilst Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala was named CAF African Women’s Player of the Year for a record fifth time during the last Awards Gala in July 2022 in Rabat, Morocco.

Per a statement released by CAF, the ceremony will be held on Monday, December 11, 2023, in the city of Marrakesh, Morocco.

Player of the Year (Men) Nominees: 

Ramy Bensebaini (Algeria and Borussia Dortmund)

Riyad Mahrez (Algeria and Al Ahli)

Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso and Bayer Leverkusen)

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon and SSC Napoli)

Vincent Aboubacar (Cameroon and Besiktas)

Ibrahima Sangare (Cote d’Ivoire and Nottingham Forest)

Seko Fofana (Cote d’Ivoire and Al Nassr)

Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo and Olympique Marseille)

Fiston Mayele (DR Congo and Pyramids)

Mahmoud Abdel Moneim “Kahraba” (Egypt and Ahly)

Mohamed Abdelmonem (Egypt and Al Ahly)

Mohamed ElShenawy (Egypt and Al Ahly)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)

Mohammed Kudus (Ghana and West Ham United)

Thomas Partey (Ghana and Arsenal)

Serhou Guirassy (Guinea and VfB Stuttgart)

Yves Bissouma (Mali and Tottenham Hotspur)

Achraf Hakimi (Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain)

Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco and Olympique Marseille)

Hakim Ziyech (Morocco and Galatasaray)

Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco and Manchester United)

Yahya Jabrane (Morocco and Wydad Athletic Club)

Yassine Bounou (Morocco and Al Hilal)

Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco and Sevilla)

Peter Shalulile (Namibia and Mamelodi Sundowns)

Victor Osimhen (Nigeria and SSC Napoli)

Sadio Mane (Senegal and Al Nassr)

Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal and Tottenham Hotspur)

Percy Tau (South Africa and Al Ahly)

Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Tunisia and Ferencvaros)

The promising forward was named the Young Player in the Womens’ category and also clinched the Inter-Club Player of the Year.

The Hasaacas Lady’s ace beat off competition from Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Andile Dlamini and South Africa defender Bambanani Mbanie in the Inter-Club Player of the Year category before winning the Young Player of the Year ahead of former teammate Doris Boaduwaa and Morocco’s Yasmine Zouhir.

Badu was the top scorer in the maiden edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League and was also named player of the tournament.

Following a successful tournament and stunning year, the 19-year-old sealed a move to the Norwegian side, Avaldsnes IL.

Badu is currently with the Black Princesses side as they prepare for next month’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.

 Badu and Boaduwaa were instrumental for Hasaacas Ladies during the maiden edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League last year.

Elsewhere in the men’s category, Black Stars forward, Kamaldeen Sulemana, missed out on the final list for the Young Player of the Year award while Yusif Basigi was also left out of the final three for the Coach of the Year.

Hasaacas Ladies are, however, in the final three of the women’s Club of the Year.

Full list of top 3 nominees (in alphabetical order):

Player of the Year (Women)

Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon & Internazionale Milano)

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)

Grace Chanda (Zambia & BIIK Kazygurt)

Player of the Year (Men)

Edouard Mendy (Senegal & Chelsea)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)

Sadio Mane (Senegal & Bayern Munich)

Interclub Player of the Year (Women)

Andile Dlamini (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)

Bambanani Mbanie (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns) 

Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes) 

Interclub Player of the Year (Men)

Achraf Dari (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)

Aliou Dieng (Mali & Al Ahly)

Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly)

Young Player of the Year (Women)

Doris Boaduwaa (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies)

Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)

Yasmine Zouhir (Morocco & AS Saint-Etienne)

Young Player of the Year (Men) 

Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia & Manchester United)

Karim Konate (Cote d’Ivoire & ASEC/RB Salzburg)

Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal & Tottenham Hotspur)

Coach of the Year (Women)

Bruce Mwape (Zambia)

Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

Jerry Tshabalala (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Reynald Pedros (Morocco)

Coach of the Year (Men)

Aliou Cisse (Senegal)

Carlos Queiroz (Egypt)

Walid Regragui (Wydad Athletic Club)

Club of the Year (Women)

AS FAR (Morocco)

Hasaacas Ladies (Ghana)

Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

Club of the Year (Men)

Al Ahly (Egypt)

RS Berkane (Morocco)

Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)

National Team of the Year (Men) 

Cameroon

Egypt

Senegal

National Team of the Year (Women) 

Due to the absence of a major women’s competition during the period under review, the Organising Team for the CAF Awards 2022 has reviewed the selection process for this important category. The TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco will be factored as one of the criterion in deciding a winner befitting of the status of the award and women’s football in general. The winner will be announced on 23 July 2022 during the final match of the Women’s AFCON.

Goal of the Year

Gabadinho Mhango (Malawi & Orlando Pirates)

Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba)

Zouhair El Moutaraji (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)

The Bayern Munich forward is expected to beat former club teammate, Mohamed Salah and national colleague, Edouard Mendy to the award after an impressive year which saw him impress for both club and country.

Mané led Senegal to win their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in February when the competition was held in Cameroon, beating Egypt in the final.

He also guided the Teranga Lions as they secured a World Cup spot ahead of Salah’s Egypt a month later.

Mané scored 23 times and provided five assists for Liverpool during the 2021/22 season and won the FA Cup before joining Bayern at the end of the season.

More to follow…

Mane, the last man to be crowned Africa’s best player back in 2019, will go up against former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah of Egypt and compatriot Edouard Mendy of Chelsea.

Riyad Mahrez, Naby Keita, Vincent Aboubakar, Karl Toko Ekambi, Achraf Hakimi, Sebastien Haller and Kalidou Koulibaly have all fallen by the wayside from the 10-long list released over a week ago.

The women’s shortlist has also been revealed, with Africa’s most decorated footballer Oshoala, Cameroon forward Ajara Nchout Njoya and Zambia midfielder Grace Chanda making the final three.

Barcelona forward Oshoala was named Africa’s best female player three years ago – since when the awards have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Caf, African football’s governing body, has also announced the final lists for other men and women’s categories including Coach, Young Player, Interclub Player, Club, National team and goal of the year awards.

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All the winners will be named on Thursday apart from the women’s national team of the year award, which will be announced after the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final on Saturday.

Caf awards 2022 nominees:

Player of the Year (women): Grace Chanda (Zambia & BIIK Kazygurt), Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon & Inter Milan) and Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona).

Player of the Year (men): Sadio Mane (Senegal & Bayern Munich), Edouard Mendy (Senegal & Chelsea), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool).

Interclub Player of the Year (women): Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes), Andile Dlamini (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns), Bambanani Mbanie (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns).

Interclub Player of the Year (men): Achraf Dari (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club), Aliou Dieng (Mali & Al Ahly), Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly).

Young Player of the Year (women): Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes), Doris Boaduwaa (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies), Yasmine Zouhir (Morocco & AS Saint-Etienne).

Young Player of the Year (men): Karim Konate (Cote d’Ivoire & ASEC/RB Salzburg), Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal & Tottenham Hotspur), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia & Manchester United).

Coach of the Year (women): Desiree Ellis (South Africa), Bruce Mwape (Zambia), Reynald Pedros (Morocco), Jerry Tshabalala (Mamelodi Sundowns).

Coach of the Year (men): Aliou Cisse (Senegal), Carlos Queiroz (Egypt), Walid Regragui (Wydad Athletic Club).

Club of the Year (women): AS FAR (Morocco), Hasaacas Ladies (Ghana), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa).

Club of the Year (men): Al Ahly (Egypt), RS Berkane (Morocco), Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco).

National Team of the Year (men): Cameroon, Egypt, Senegal.

Goal of the Year: Zouhair El Moutaraji (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club), Gabadinho Mhango (Malawi & Orlando Pirates), Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba).

The three players played together at Hasaacas Ladies during their historic run domestically and on the continent.

Badu, following an impressive season in the maiden edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League, sealed a move to Norwegian side Alvaldsness IL together with Agyekum, who was later released by the club.

The Black Princesses captain was adjudged Player of the Tournament as Hasaacas Ladies finished second in the Champions League.

Boaduwaa, on the other hand, was a regular feature for Hasmal Ladies in the just-ended season while she also contributed to Ghana’s Women’s U-20 team securing a ticket to Costa Rice for the U-20 FIFA World Cup.

The trio are also joined by Janet Egyir in the Women’s Inter-club Player of the Year for their performances in the continental club competition.

Badu and Boaduwaa were also shortlisted for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award while Hasaacas Ladies will be vying for the Club of the Year award.

The 2022 CAF Awards has been scheduled for Thursday, July 21, 2022, at Morocco’s capital Rabat.