Kalusha, Eto’o (top) and Jay Jay Okocha
* On the sidelines of the event, a charity football game will be held at Marrakech Stadium this afternoon at 15:00 GMT) to honour earthquake victims
By Duncan Mlanjira
Among the prestigious guests for tomorrow night’s CAF Awards Gala in Marrakech, Morocco is a cohort of African football legends set to bring an aura of grandeur to the event and help make 2023 edition even more memorable.
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They included Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia), Abedi Pele (Ghana), Thomas N’Kono (Cameroun), Emmanuel Amunike (Nigeria), Rigobert Song (Cameroun), Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria), El Hadji Diouf (Senegal), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo).
Others are Manuel Tico Tico Bucuane (Mozambique), Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso), Ahmed Hassan (Egypt), Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria), Patrick Mboma (Cameroon), Mikel Obi (Nigeria), Geremi Njitap (Cameroon), Khalilou Fadiga (Senegal), Salomon Kalou (Côte d’Ivoire), Siphiwe Tshabalala (South Africa), Titi Camara (Guinea) and a host of others.
Tico Tico
Rigobert Song
Adebayor
On the sidelines of the event, a charity football game will be held at Marrakech Stadium this afternoon at 15:00 GMT) to honour earthquake victims.
The CAF Awards are a special opportunity to recognize and reward outstanding performances by African players, coaches, teams and clubs over a given period.
This year, the period under consideration runs from November 2022 to September 2023 for the men’s categories and from December 2022 to November 2023 for the women’s categories.
The three contestants for the men’s African Player of the Year category are Egyptian Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, England), Moroccan Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, France) and Nigerian Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Italy), who also collected Italy’s Player of the Year award after firing Napoli to glory with 26 strikes.
The women’s Player of the Year accolade is being contested for by Nigerian Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona, Spain), Zambian Barbara Banda (Shanghai Shengli, China) and South African Thembi Kgatlana (Racing Louisville, USA).
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Other top three award nominees released on CAFonline are:
Goalkeeper of the Year (Men): Andre Onana (Cameroon, Manchester United); Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt, Al Ahly); Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal)
Goalkeeper of the Year (Women): Khadija Er-Rmichi (Morocco, AS FAR); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC); Andile Dlamini (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men): Fiston Mayele (DR Congo, Pyramids); Peter Shalulile (Namibia, Mamelodi Sundowns); Percy Tau (South Africa, Al Ahly)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women): Refilwe Tholakele (Botswana, Mamelodi Sundowns); Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco, AS FAR); Lebohang Ramalepe (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Young Player of the Year (Men): Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Morocco, Real Betis); Lamine Camara (Senegal, Metz); Amara Diouf (Senegal, Metz)
Young Player of the Year (Women): Comfort Yeboah (Ghana, Ampem Darkoa); Nesryne El Chad (Morocco, Lille); Deborah Abiodun (Nigeria, Pittsburgh Panthers)
National Team of the Year (Men): The Gambia; Morocco; Senegal
National Team of the Year (Women): Morocco; Nigeria; South Africa
Club of the Year (Men): Al Ahly (Egypt); Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco); Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Club of the Year (Women): AS FAR (Morocco); Sporting Casablanca (Morocco); Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Coach of the Year (Men): Abdelhak Benchika (Algeria, Simba SC); Walid Regragui (Morocco); Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
Coach of the Year (Women): Reynald Pedros (Morocco); Desiree Ellis (South Africa); Jerry Tshabalala (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
NOTE: Nominees are in alphabetic order by Member Association
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