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African Footballer of the Year

Award

Award

The African Footballer of the Year award, presented annually to the best African footballer, has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1992. It has been included as part of the CAF Awards ceremony since 2000.

Samuel Eto'o and Yaya Touré have won the award the most times (four wins each). Two-time winner Didier Drogba is the player with the most runner-up appearances (four), most third place finishes (third), and most appearances in the top three (nine).

The France-born Frédéric Kanouté, Riyad Mahrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, England-born Ademola Lookman and Spain-born Achraf Hakimi are the only European-born players to win the award (both Kanouté and Aubameyang initially featured for France's U21 squad before going on to represent Mali and Gabon, respectively). The winner of the 2025 edition was Achraf Hakimi.

History

The Year Golden Ball award was given out between 1970 and 1994 by France Football magazine. The changes resulted in parallel Golden Ball awards given out to Abedi Pele and George Weah in 1993 and 1994 by the magazine, although the CAF sponsored awards for those years were won respectively by Rashidi Yekini and Emmanuel Amuneke, as well as two awards given to Abedi Pele in 1992. France Football discontinued its award in 1995 after the European Ballon d'Or – also awarded by the magazine – had been opened to all players in the European leagues.

In 1991, the magazine Afrique Football installed an award. It was discontinued in 2003.

Winners

''France Football'' award (1970–1994)

The award by France Football magazine of non-European nationality, the award being given to George Weah that year. It had already been replaced by an official award given out by the Confederation of African Football since 1992.

YearRankPlayerTeamPoints
19701stMali Salif KeïtaFrance Saint-Étienne54
2ndIvory Coast Laurent PokouIvory Coast ASEC Abidjan28
3rdEgypt Ali Abo GreishaEgypt Ismaily28
19711stGhana Ibrahim SundayGhana Asante Kotoko29
2ndGhana Robert MensahGhana Asante Kotoko15
3rdCameroon François NdoumbéCameroon Canon Yaoundé13
19721stGuinea Chérif SouleymaneGuinea Hafia21
2ndZaire Bwanga TshimenZaire TP Mazembe16
3rdGuinea Petit SoryGuinea Hafia14
19731stZaire Bwanga TshimenZaire TP Mazembe49
2ndZaire Kazadi MwambaZaire TP Mazembe44
3rdIvory Coast Laurent PokouIvory Coast ASEC Abidjan41
19741stCongo Paul MoukilaCongo CARA Brazzaville57
2ndZaire Lobilo BobaZaire Vita Club32
3rdEgypt Hassan ShehataEgypt Zamalek28
19751stMorocco Ahmed FarasMorocco Mohammédia28
2ndCameroon Roger MillaCameroon Tonnerre Yaoundé24
Guinea Mamadou Aliou KéïtaGuinea Hafia
19761stCameroon Roger MillaCameroon Tonnerre Yaoundé33
2ndGuinea Papa CamaraGuinea Hafia32
3rdAlgeria Ali BencheikhAlgeria MC Alger27
19771stTunisia Tarak DhiabTunisia Espérance Tunis45
2ndGuinea Papa CamaraGuinea Hafia33
3rdNigeria Segun OdegbamiNigeria Shooting Stars29
19781stGhana Karim Abdul RazakGhana Asante Kotoko58
2ndAlgeria Ali BencheikhAlgeria MC Alger33
3rdCameroon Thomas N'KonoCameroon Canon Yaoundé29
19791stCameroon Thomas N'KonoCameroon Canon Yaoundé55
2ndGhana Adolf ArmahGhana Hearts of Oak23
3rdGuinea Kerfalla BangouraGuinea Horoya15
19801stCameroon Jean Manga-OnguénéCameroon Canon Yaoundé64
2ndNigeria Segun OdegbamiNigeria Shooting Stars41
3rdCameroon Théophile AbegaCameroon Canon Yaoundé18
19811stAlgeria Lakhdar BelloumiAlgeria GC Mascara78
2ndCameroon Thomas N'KonoCameroon Canon Yaoundé54
3rdAlgeria Ali FerganiAlgeria JS Kabylie26
19821stCameroon Thomas N'KonoSpain Espanyol83
2ndAlgeria Salah AssadFrance Mulhouse54
3rdAlgeria Lakhdar BelloumiAlgeria GC Mascara36
19831stEgypt Mahmoud El KhatibEgypt Al Ahly98
2ndGhana Opoku NtiGhana Asante Kotoko89
3rdTogo Rafiou MoutairouTogo OC Agaza19
19841stCameroon Théophile AbegaFrance Toulouse124
2ndCameroon Joseph-Antoine BellEgypt Al Mokawloon Al Arab65
Egypt Ibrahim YoussefEgypt Zamalek
19851stMorocco Mohamed TimoumiMorocco AS FAR113
2ndAlgeria Rabah MadjerPortugal Porto45
3rdEgypt Ibrahim YoussefEgypt Zamalek39
19861stMorocco Ezzaki BadouSpain Mallorca125
2ndMorocco Aziz BouderbalaSwitzerland Sion88
3rdCameroon Roger MillaFrance Montpellier80
19871stAlgeria Rabah MadjerPortugal Porto130
2ndIvory Coast Youssouf Falikou FofanaFrance Monaco63
3rdCameroon François Omam-BiyikFrance Laval52
19881stZambia Kalusha BwalyaBelgium Cercle Brugge111
2ndCameroon Roger MillaFrance Montpellier68
3rdIvory Coast Youssouf Falikou FofanaFrance Monaco40
19891stLiberia George WeahFrance Monaco133
2ndCameroon Joseph-Antoine BellFrance Bordeaux105
3rdZambia Kalusha BwalyaNetherlands PSV49
19901stCameroon Roger MillaRéunion Saint-Pierroise209
2ndAlgeria Tahar Chérif El-OuazzaniTurkey Aydınspor64
3rdAlgeria Rabah MadjerPortugal Porto60
Cameroon François Omam-BiyikFrance Rennes
19911stGhana Abedi PeleFrance Marseille152
2ndLiberia George WeahFrance Monaco106
3rdCameroon François Omam-BiyikFrance Cannes52
19921stGhana Abedi PeleFrance Marseille198
2ndLiberia George WeahFrance Paris Saint-Germain161
3rdGhana Tony YeboahGermany Eintracht Frankfurt64
19931stGhana Abedi PeleFrance Marseille119
2ndGhana Tony YeboahGermany Eintracht Frankfurt117
3rdNigeria Rashidi YekiniPortugal Vitória de Setúbal104
19941stLiberia George WeahFrance Paris Saint-Germain148
2ndNigeria Emmanuel AmunikePortugal Sporting CP133
3rdNigeria Daniel AmokachiEngland Everton99

''Afrique Football'' award (Etoile d'Or) (1991–2003)

YearRankPlayerTeamPoints
19911stGhana Abedi PeleFrance Marseille206
2ndLiberia George WeahFrance Monaco146
3rdGHA Nii LampteyBEL Anderlecht68
19921stGhana Abedi PeleFrance Marseille192
2ndLiberia George WeahFrance Paris Saint-Germain167
3rdIvory Coast Alain GouaménéMorocco Raja CA60
19931stNigeria Rashidi YekiniPortugal Vitória de Setúbal152
2ndGhana Abedi PeleFrance Marseille118
3rdGhana Tony YeboahGermany Eintracht Frankfurt98
19941stNigeria Emmanuel AmunikePortugal Sporting CP178
2ndLiberia George WeahFrance Paris Saint-Germain114
3rdNigeria Daniel AmokachiEngland Everton97
19951stLiberia George WeahItaly Milan–
19961stNigeria Nwankwo KanuItaly Internazionale–
19971stNigeria Victor IkpebaFrance Monaco–
19981stMorocco Mustapha HadjiSpain Deportivo La Coruña–
2ndNigeria Jay-Jay OkochaFrance Paris Saint-Germain–
3rdNigeria Sunday OlisehNetherlands Ajax–
19991stNigeria Nwankwo KanuEngland Arsenal–
20001stCameroon Patrick M'BomaItaly Parma–
20011stSenegal El Hadji DioufFrance Lens–
20021stSenegal El Hadji DioufEngland Liverpool186
2ndSenegal Papa Bouba DiopFrance Lens64
3rdCameroon Samuel Eto'oSpain Mallorca39
20031stCameroon Samuel Eto'oSpain Mallorca169
2ndIvory Coast Didier DrogbaFrance Marseille68
3rdNigeria Jay-Jay OkochaEngland Bolton Wanderers51

CAF award (1992–present)

YearRankPlayerTeamPoints
19921stGhana Abedi PeleFrance Marseille–
19931stNigeria Rashidi YekiniPortugal Vitória de Setúbal–
19941stNigeria Emmanuel AmunikePortugal Sporting CP48
2ndLiberia George WeahFrance Paris Saint-Germain44
Nigeria Rashidi YekiniGreece Olympiacos
19951stLiberia George WeahItaly Milan–
2ndNigeria Emmanuel AmunikePortugal Sporting CP–
3rdNigeria Daniel AmokachiEngland Everton–
19961stNigeria Nwankwo KanuItaly Internazionale–
2ndLiberia George WeahItaly Milan–
3rdNigeria Daniel AmokachiTurkey Beşiktaş–
19971stNigeria Victor IkpebaFrance Monaco56
2ndChad Japhet N'DoramFrance Monaco40
3rdNigeria Taribo WestItaly Internazionale35
19981stMorocco Mustapha HadjiSpain Deportivo La Coruña76
2ndNigeria Jay-Jay OkochaFrance Paris Saint-Germain74
3rdNigeria Sunday OlisehNetherlands Ajax58
19991stNigeria Nwankwo KanuEngland Arsenal46
2ndGhana Samuel KuffourGermany Bayern Munich44
3rdIvory Coast Ibrahima BakayokoFrance Marseille42
20001stCameroon Patrick M'BomaItaly Parma123
2ndCameroon LaurenSpain Mallorca36
3rdCameroon Samuel Eto'oSpain Mallorca29
20011stSenegal El Hadji DioufFrance Lens93
2ndGhana Samuel KuffourGermany Bayern Munich66
3rdCameroon Samuel Eto'oSpain Mallorca34
20021stSenegal El Hadji DioufEngland Liverpool93
2ndSenegal Papa Bouba DiopFrance Lens46
3rdEgypt Ahmed Hossam MidoNetherlands Ajax42
20031stCameroon Samuel Eto'oSpain Mallorca–
2ndIvory Coast Didier DrogbaFrance Marseille–
3rdNigeria Jay-Jay OkochaEngland Bolton Wanderers–
20041stCameroon Samuel Eto'oSpain Barcelona116
2ndIvory Coast Didier DrogbaEngland Chelsea90
3rdNigeria Jay-Jay OkochaEngland Bolton Wanderers68
20051stCameroon Samuel Eto'oSpain Barcelona108
2ndIvory Coast Didier DrogbaEngland Chelsea106
3rdGhana Michael EssienEngland Chelsea50
20061stIvory Coast Didier DrogbaEngland Chelsea79
2ndCameroon Samuel Eto'oSpain Barcelona76
3rdGhana Michael EssienEngland Chelsea36
20071stMali Frédéric KanoutéSpain Sevilla–
2ndGhana Michael EssienEngland Chelsea–
3rdIvory Coast Didier DrogbaEngland Chelsea–
20081stTogo Emmanuel AdebayorEngland Arsenal74
2ndEgypt Mohamed Abou TrikaEgypt Al Ahly53
3rdGhana Michael EssienEngland Chelsea36
20091stIvory Coast Didier DrogbaEngland Chelsea92
2ndCameroon Samuel Eto'oItaly Internazionale69
3rdGhana Michael EssienEngland Chelsea43
20101stCameroon Samuel Eto'oItaly Internazionale–
2ndGhana Asamoah GyanEngland Sunderland–
3rdIvory Coast Didier DrogbaEngland Chelsea–
20111stIvory Coast Yaya TouréEngland Manchester City–
2ndMali Seydou KeitaSpain Barcelona–
3rdGhana André AyewFrance Marseille–
20121stIvory Coast Yaya TouréEngland Manchester City–
2ndIvory Coast Didier DrogbaChina Shanghai Shenhua–
3rdCameroon Alex SongSpain Barcelona–
20131stIvory Coast Yaya TouréEngland Manchester City373
2ndNigeria Mikel John ObiEngland Chelsea265
3rdIvory Coast Didier DrogbaTurkey Galatasaray236
20141stIvory Coast Yaya TouréEngland Manchester City175
2ndGabon Pierre-Emerick AubameyangGermany Borussia Dortmund120
3rdNigeria Vincent EnyeamaFrance Lille105
20151stGabon Pierre-Emerick AubameyangGermany Borussia Dortmund143
2ndIvory Coast Yaya TouréEngland Manchester City136
3rdGhana André AyewWales Swansea City112
20161stAlgeria Riyad MahrezEngland Leicester City361
2ndGabon Pierre-Emerick AubameyangGermany Borussia Dortmund313
3rdSenegal Sadio ManéEngland Liverpool186
20171stEgypt Mohamed SalahEngland Liverpool625
2ndSenegal Sadio ManéEngland Liverpool507
3rdGabon Pierre-Emerick AubameyangGermany Borussia Dortmund311
20181stEgypt Mohamed SalahEngland Liverpool567
2ndSenegal Sadio ManéEngland Liverpool440
3rdGabon Pierre-Emerick AubameyangEngland Arsenal197
20191stSenegal Sadio ManéEngland Liverpool477
2ndEgypt Mohamed SalahEngland Liverpool325
3rdAlgeria Riyad MahrezEngland Manchester City267
20221stSenegal Sadio ManéGermany Bayern Munich–
2ndEgypt Mohamed SalahEngland Liverpool–
3rdSenegal Édouard MendyEngland Chelsea–
20231stNigeria Victor OsimhenItaly Napoli–
2ndMorocco Achraf HakimiFrance Paris Saint-Germain–
3rdEgypt Mohamed SalahEngland Liverpool–
20241stNigeria Ademola LookmanItaly Atalanta–
2ndMorocco Achraf HakimiFrance Paris Saint-Germain–
3rdGuinea Serhou GuirassyGermany Borussia Dortmund–
20251stMorocco Achraf HakimiFrance Paris Saint-Germain533
2ndEgypt Mohamed SalahEngland Liverpool317
3rdNigeria Victor OsimhenTurkey Galatasaray240

Multiple winners

  • Players in bold are currently active
PlayerWinnerRunner-upThird place
CMR Samuel Eto'o422
CIV Yaya Touré410
LBR George Weah340
GHA Abedi Pele300
CIV Didier Drogba243
EGY Mohamed Salah231
CMR Roger Milla221
SEN Sadio Mané221
CMR Thomas N'Kono211
NGR Nwankwo Kanu200
SEN El Hadji Diouf200

Awards won by nationality

NationWinnersRunners-upThird places
11810
7610
687
676
530
432
345
355
340
210
133
130
122
101
101
100
100
010

Awards won by club

ClubWinnersRunners-upThird placesPlayersWinnersRunner-upsThird places
ENG Liverpool442M. Salah (2), H. Diouf, S. ManéS. Mané (2), M. Salah (2)S. Mané, M. Salah
ENG Manchester City411Y. Touré (4)Y. TouréR. Mahrez
FRA Marseille312Abedi Pele (3)D. DrogbaI. Bakayoko, A. Ayew
ENG Chelsea246D. Drogba (2)D. Drogba (2), M. Essien, M. J. ObiM. Essien (4), D. Drogba (2)
FRA Paris Saint-Germain24–G. Weah, A. HakimiG. Weah, A. Okocha, A. Hakimi (2)
FRA Monaco231G. Weah, V. IkpebaY. Fofana, G. Weah, J. N'DoramY. Fofana
ESP Barcelona221S. Eto'o (2)S. Eto'o, Se. KeitaA. Song
GHA Asante Kotoko22–K. Abdul Razak, I. SundayR. Mensah, O. Nti
CMR Canon Yaoundé213J. Manga-Onguéné, T. N'KonoT. N'KonoT. Abega, F. Ndoumbé, T. N'Kono
ESP Mallorca212E. Badou, S. Eto'oLaurenS. Eto'o (2)
ITA Internazionale211S. Eto'o, N. KanuS. Eto'oT. West
ENG Arsenal2–1E. Adebayor, N. KanuP. E. Aubameyang
GUI Hafia122C. SouleymaneP. Camara (2)P. Sory, M. A. Kéïta
GER Borussia Dortmund122P. E. AubameyangP. E. Aubameyang (2)P. E. Aubameyang, S. Guirassy
GER Bayern Munich12–S. ManéS. Kuffour (2)
COD TP Mazembe12–B. TshimenB. Tshimen, K. Mwamba
POR Porto111R. MadjerR. MadjerR. Madjer
EGY Al Ahly110M. El KhatibM. Abou Trika
CMR Tonnerre Yaoundé11–R. MillaR. Milla
FRA Lens11–E-H. DioufP. B. Diop
ITA Milan11–G. WeahG. Weah
POR Sporting CP11–E. AmunikeE. Amunike
ALG GC Mascara1–1L. BelloumiL. Belloumi
BEL Cercle Brugge1––K. Bwalya
CGO CARA Brazzaville1––P. Moukila
ENG Leicester City1––R. Mahrez
FRA Saint-Étienne1––S. Keïta
FRA Toulouse1––T. Abega
ITA Parma1––P. M'Boma
MAR AS FAR1––M. Timoumi
MAR SCC Mohammédia1––A. Faras
POR Vitória de Setúbal1––R. Yekini
REU JS Saint-Pierroise1––R. Milla
ESP Deportivo La Coruña1––M. Hadji
ESP Espanyol1––T. N'Kono
ESP Sevilla1––F. Kanouté
TUN ES Tunis1––T. Dhiab
ITA Napoli1––V. Osimhen
ITA Atalanta1––A. Lookman
ALG MC Alger–11
CIV ASEC Mimosas–11
FRA Montpellier–11
GER Eintracht Frankfurt–11
NGR Shooting Stars–11
CHN Shanghai Shenhua–1–
COD Vita Club–1–
EGY Al Mokawloon Al Arab–1–
ENG Sunderland–1–
FRA Bordeaux–1–
FRA FC Mulhouse–1–
GHA Hearts of Oak–1–
SUI FC Sion–1–
TUR Aydınspor–1–
EGY Zamalek–12
ENG Bolton Wanderers––2
ENG Everton––2
NED Ajax––2
ALG JS Kabylie––1
EGY Ismaily––1
FRA Cannes––1
FRA Stade Lavallois––1
FRA Lille––1
FRA Rennes––1
GRE Olympiacos––1
GUI Horoya AC––1
NED PSV Eindhoven––1
TOG OC Agaza––1
TUR Beşiktaş––1
TUR Galatasaray––2
WAL Swansea City––1

References

References

  1. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080202215544/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/confederations/news/newsid=682981.html#kanoute+named+africas+best Kanoute named Africa's best]
  2. "Furious Drogba Slams CAF Over Kanoute Award And Pulls Out".
  3. (5 January 2001). "African Player of the Year 1993". Rsssf.com.
  4. (5 January 2001). "African Player of the Year 1994". Rsssf.com.
  5. (1 January 2000). "African Player of the Year". [[rsssf.com]].
  6. (1 January 2000). "African Player of the Year". [[rsssf.com]].
  7. (2023-12-11). "Football: All African Footballers of the Year - Complete list".
  8. "African Player of the Year 1991".
  9. "African Player of the Year 1992".
  10. "African Player of the Year 1993".
  11. "African Player of the Year 1994".
  12. "African Player of the Year 1998".
  13. "African Player of the Year 2002".
  14. "African Player of the Year 2003".
  15. "Victor Osimhen wins African player of the year award". BBC Sport.
  16. "Lookman, Banda and Williams are big winners at 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco".
  17. "CAF Awards 2025: Who voted for whom in each category".
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