Without Salah, Mané and Boniface: The nominees for the African Player of the Year award
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled the nominees for its 2024 awards ceremony, set to take place in Marrakech, Morocco on December 16th. While the list showcases a range of talent across seven men’s categories, the absence of several high-profile players has sparked discussion.
The awards also recognize excellence in other categories, including Goalkeeper of the Year, Interclub Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Club of the Year, and National Team of the Year.
The awards consider performances from January to October 2024, reflecting achievements across various club and international competitions.
The absence of several high-profile African players from the Player of the Year shortlist has raised eyebrows. Notably absent are Mohamed Salah of Liverpool and Egypt, Sadio Mané of Al-Nassr and Senegal, and Victor Boniface, the prolific striker of Bayer Leverkusen who led his team to a historic undefeated Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double.
Player of the year nominees
The nominees for the coveted African Player of the Year award are: Simon Adingra (Côte d’Ivoire/Brighton), Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain), Ademola Lookman (Nigeria/Atalanta), and Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns).
These players represent a diverse range of clubs and nations, highlighting the breadth of African talent on the global stage.
The Goalkeeper of the Year nominees are Andre Onana (Cameroon/Manchester United), Yahia Fofana (Côte d’Ivoire/Angers SCO), Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt/Al Ahly), Stanley Nwabali (Nigeria/Chippa United), and Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns). The diverse range of clubs represented speaks to the global impact of African talent.
The omissions of Salah, Mané, and Boniface from the Player of the Year nominations have fueled debate regarding the selection criteria and the overall representation of African football’s top performers.
The CAF Awards celebrate African football, and these absences prompt questions about the fairness and comprehensiveness of the selection process, raising important questions about the metrics used for nomination.