Nigerian stars Victor Moses and Oluwafemi Ajayi have been shortlisted for the African Footballer of the Year and Footballer of the Year (based in Africa) categories respectively by CAF.
Upon the completion of the African football calendar for the year after Sunday’s Confederation Cup final, the football governing body released the shortlisted candidates for varying categories of their Award on Monday.
Moses, a key figure in English side Chelsea’s title triumph in 2017 was also crucial to Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying run which saw them qualify for the World Cup unbeaten from Group B.
Moses who alongside teammate William Troost-Ekong was named in the 30-man shortlist in October made the 11-man final list released by CAF on Monday but Troost-Ekong dropped out.
Moses will battle with Liverpool stars Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane and eight others in that category.
For Ajayi whose side Al Ahly lost in the Champions League final to Wydad Casablanca, he makes the cut alongside two other Ahly players.
The final phase will involve Head Coaches or Technical Directors of the National Associations taking part in the voting exercise and ten members from the Independent Media and TV Consultants group.
For the first time, captains of the senior men’s national teams of the affiliated National Associations will also take part in decision making process of the African Player of the Year and Player of the Year (Based in Africa).
The Awards Gala will take place on Thursday, 4 January 2018 in Accra, Ghana.
African Player of the Year (alphabetical order)
1. Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Olympique Lyon)
2. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
3. Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord)
4. Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco)
5. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
6. Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig)
7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & B. Dortmund)
8. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
9. Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea)
10. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto)
11. Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto)
Player of the Year (Based in Africa)
1. Achraf Bencharki (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
2. Ahmed Fathi (Egypt & Al Ahly)
3. Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
4. Aristide Bance (Burkina Faso & El Masry)
5. Ben Malango (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)
6. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
7. Jeremy Brockie (New Zealand & Supersport)
8. Junior Ajayi (Nigeria & Al Ahly)
9. Mohamed Ounnajem (Morooco & Wydad Athletic Club)
10. Taha Yassine Khenisssi (Tunisia & Esperance)
