CAFonline
Egyptian Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, England), Moroccan Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, France) and Nigerian Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Italy) headline the men’s African Player of the Year to be identified at the glittering ceremony tomorrow in Marrakech, Morocco.
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Among other categories include Best Coach of the Year being contested by category are Aliou Cisse (Senegal), Walid Al-Raghraghi (Morocco) and Abdelhak Ben Sheikha (Algeria, coaching Simba of Tanzania.
Aliou Cisse
Reigning CAF coach of the year, Aliou Cisse will be hoping to retain the award that he deservedly won in 2022 after his brilliance with the Senegalese national team, which he led to being crowned the Africa Cup of Nations champions.
Post his success on the continent, Cisse guided the Lions of Teranga to a Round of 16 finish at the recent FIFA World Cup before exiting the tournament at the hands of England.
Senegal’s continued performance, through the guidance of Cisse has led to the coach being shortlisted in the list of top 3 African coaches where he is hoping to make history by winning it twice in succession.
Walid Regragui
Walid Al-Raghraghi, led his country to shine at the highest level of world football when he guided Morocco to Africa’s first-ever semi-final appearance at a FIFA World Cup finals.
After his succeeding at club level with Wydad AC, the Moroccan tactician has established himself at national level as one of the best coaches on the continent as he continues to set benchmarks in his coaching career on the continent with the Moroccan national team.
Abdelhak Benchika
The past season was exceptional for the Algerian coach, Abdelhak Ben Sheikha, who led USM Alger, to glory in winning their first ever CAF Confederation Cup title.
This was then topped with another historic lifting of the TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup where they overcame Egyptian giants, Al Ahly.
The coach has since left the CAF Confederation Cup champions and is now in the books of Tanzanian giants, Simba AC where he is competing in the CAF Champions League.
Top three of best African Goalkeeper are Andre Onana (Cameroon, Manchester United), Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt, Al-Ahly of Egypt) and Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia).
Andre Onana
The career of Cameroonian goalkeeper, Andre Onana was distinguished during the year 2023, especially at the club level where he kept a clean sheet in 21 matches (14 with Inter Milan, 7 with Manchester United).
Andre Onana is the only goalkeeper to have made the most appearances for clubs in the top five European leagues this year (50 in all competitions).
He was also distinguished by his impressive saves which allowed him to be on the final list of candidates for the CAF Awards.
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Mohamed El-Shenawy
The ever-green, Mohamed El-Shenawy led his Egyptian club, Al-Ahly to a record 11th CAF Champions League title, where he excelled at the competition being the keeper with the most clean sheets (6).
El-Shenawy was also brilliant in national team colours during international matches and remains one of the best shot-stoppers on the continent that has remained consistent over the years.
Yacine Bounou
One of the reasons that Morocco made history at the FIFA World Cup was as a result of acrobatic saves made by Yassine Bounou.
The shot-stopper was instrumental in the Atlas Lions’ historic semi-final achievement in Qatar and has been equally good for his club, Al Hilal.
Bounou also became the highest-ranked African goalkeeper in the history of the Ballon d’Or (13th place in 2023).
His impressive performance at the global stage has certainly earned him the right to be amongst the top three of Africa’s best goalkeepers.
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The CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup produced yet another exciting season, with exceptional performances from a number of stars across the continent and from their performances, three standout as best contenders for the CAF Interclub Player of the Year award — Percy Tau (South Africa, Al-Ahly of Egypt), Peter Shalulile (Namibia, Mamelodi Sundowns) and Fiston Mayele, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egyptian Pyramids).
Percy Tau
Al Ahly star, Percy Tau has grown immensely in his role at Al Ahly and has become one of the club’s key players since settling in.
After playing as a target man, the skilful forward was moved to the wing and has since been immense for the African champions this past season.
Tau found the back of the net 5 times in his contribution to Ahly’s record 11th CAF Champions League title.
Peter Shalulile
The Namibian sensation was one of the most important players for Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League.
The Sundowns target man scored 6 goals in the competition and was instrumental in Sundowns’ run in the competition that dramatically ended in the semi-finals against Wydad AC.
Besides his goalscoring prowess, Shalulile possesses an incredible ability of playing from deep and connecting with his midfielders to give his teammates increased chances of scoring. His exceptional form certainly earns him a place amongst the top three players on the continent.
Fiston Mayele
Pyramids danger-man, Fiston Mayele enjoyed an exceptional season with his former Tanzanian club, Young Africans during the 2022-2023 season.
The striker, who is now on the books of Egyptian side, Pyramids led his former club, Yanga to their first-ever continental final in the Total Energies CAF Confederation Cup where they narrowly lost in the final against USM Alger.
Mayele finished as the top goalscorer of the tournament which raised his profile as one of the most sought-after strikers on the continent.
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