2012 African Footballer of the Year nominees

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has revealed an initial list of 34 players for its 2012 African Footballer of the Year award.

Unstoppable...
Reigning African Footballer of the Year, Yaya Toure

Among the list of names is Ivory Coast and Manchester City star Yaya Toure, the reigning king of African football.

The shortlist also includes three players from African champions Zambia – captain Christopher Katongo and the TP Mazembe duo of Rainford Kalaba and Stoppila Sunzu. Kalaba and Sunzu are two of three players on the list who currently play for African clubs. The other is Tunisia trickster Youssef Msakni who is at Esperance. Msakni, however, is set to leave the African club champions having agreed to join Qatari outfit Lekhwiya in January.

The trio is also the only players to appear on both the shortlists for the African Footballer of the Year and for the African Player of the Year.

The African Footballer of the Year award is the main prize and has predominantly been won by players based outside Africa. The African Player of the Year prize is reserved for players who currently ply their trade on the African continent.

“I am very happy to be nominated because it’s not easy,” Zambia’s Kalaba said. “There are a lot of talented players in Africa and for me to have made it to both shortlists, I am very humbled and happy. The chances of winning are 50/50. I can only wait for the final decision but I think everyone has a fair chance of winning.”

Seeking to emulate King Kalu...
Zambia captain Chris Katongo

Should one of the victorious Chipolopolo players win the African Footballer of the Year award they will emulate current Football Association of Zambia (Faz) president Kalusha Bwalya, who won the inaugural prize in 1988 and remains the only recipient of the award from Southern Africa.

A total of 34 players are on the shortlist for the African Footballer of the Year, while there is a 32 man list for the African Player of the Year award.

Caf will announce the top 10 nominees for the African Footballer of the Year and the top five contenders for African footballer of the Year by the end of the month.

The names of the respective finalists for both awards will then be sent to national associations, head coaches and secretary generals to select a top-three from which the winners will be chosen.

The awards ceremony, which will also include Coach of the Year and Club of the Year, will be held on December 20 at the Banquet Hall, State House in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

Nominees for African Player of the Year:

1. Abdelaziz Barrada - Getafe (Spain) and Morocco

2. Adel Taarabt - QPR (England) and Morocco

3. Alain Sibiri Traore - Lorient (France) and Burkina Faso

4. Alexander Song - Barcelona (Spain) and Cameroon

5. Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew - Marseille (France) and Ghana

6. Arouna Kone - Wigan (England) and Ivory Coast

7. Aymen Abdennour - Toulouse (France) and Tunisia

8. Bakaye Traore - AC Milan (Italy) and Mali

9. Cheick Tiote - Newcastle United (England) and Ivory Coast

10. Christopher Katongo - Henan Construction (China) and Zambia

11. Demba Ba - Newcastle United (England) and Senegal

12. Didier Drogba - Shanghai Shenhua (China) and Ivory Coast

13. Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu - Udinese (Italy) and Ghana

14. Emmanuel Mayuka - Southampton (England) and Zambia

New nominee... Nigeria's Victor Moses

15. Foxi Kethevoama - FC Astana (Kazakhstan) and Central African Republic

16. Gervinho - Arsenal (England) and Ivory Coast

17. Hilaire Momi - Le Mans (France) and Central African Republic

18. John Obi Mikel - Chelsea (England) and Nigeria

19. John Utaka - Montpellier (France) and Nigeria

20. Kwadwo Asamoah - Juventus (Italy) and Ghana

21. Moussa Sow - Fenerbahce (Turkey) and Senegal

22. Nicolas N’koulou - Marseille (France) and Cameroon

23. Papiss Demba Cisse - Newcastle United (England) and Senegal

24. Pape Moussa Konate - FC Krasnodar (Russia) and Senegal

25. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - St Etienne (France) and Gabon

26. Rainford Kalaba - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Zambia

27. Seydou Doumbia - CSKA Moscow (Russia) and Ivory Coast

28. Seydou Keita - Dalian Aerbin (China) and Mali

29. Sofiane Feghouli - Valencia (Spain) and Algeria

30. Stoppila Sunzu - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Zambia

31. Victor Moses - Chelsea (England) and Nigeria

32. Yaya Toure - Manchester City (England) and Ivory Coast

33. Younes Belhanda - Montpellier (France) and Morocco

34. Youssef Msakni - Esperance (Tunisia) and Tunisia