The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Wednesday released the list of 30 finalists competing for the African Player of the year award.
Three Nigerian players are in the run for individual awards at the next edition of the prestigious CAF Awards.
They are Victor Moses, William Troost Ekong and Junior Ajayi.
While the duo of Moses and Ekong are eyeing honours in the overall African Footballer of the Year category, Ajayi is Nigeria’s only hope in African Player of the Year Based in Africa.
The list released on Wednesday by CAF did not include current holder of the award, Algerian Riyad Marez.
On the list are Senegal and Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, Gabonand Borussia Dortmund striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who won the award in 2015, Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool), Essam El Hadary (Egypt & Al Taawoun), Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto) and Christian Bassogog (Cameroon & Henan Jianye).
As stated on the official CAF website, the winners will be decided by votes from the Head Coaches/Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF, members of the CAF Technical and Development Committee and a panel of media experts.
“The Awards Gala will be held on Thursday, 4 January 2018 in Accra, Ghana,” the statement concluded.
The full list of nominees:
Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto)
Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord)
Christian Atsu (Ghana & Newcastle)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United)
Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal)
Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco)
Christian Bassogog (Cameroon & Henan Jianye)
Yves Bissouma (Mali & Lille)
Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor)
Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto)
Essam El Hadary (Egypt & Al Taawoun)
Junior Kabananga (DR Congo & Astana)
Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco)
Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig)
Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto)
Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea)
Youssef Msakni (Tunisia & Al Duhail)
Michael Olunga (Kenya & Girona)
Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon & Sevilla)
Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Thomas Partey (Ghana & Atletico Madrid)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Mbwana Samata (Tanzania & Genk)
Jean Michel Seri (Cote d’Ivoire & Nice)
Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Lyon)
William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria & Bursaspor)
