African Footballer of the Year 2009 Shortlist

By: Daryl | December 11th, 2009

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced its five man shortlist for the 2009 African Footballer of the Year award. The five players (in alphabetical order) are:

Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire & Chelsea)
Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon & Internazionale/Barcelona
Michael Essien (Ghana & Chelsea)
Seydou Keita (Mali & Barcelona)
Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire & Barcelona)

CAF has profiles of all five nominees here. The coaches from all 53 CAF member teams will now vote for their top three, and the winner will be announced at a ceremony (location to be determined) on February 25th, 2010.

Three things worth noting here:

First of all, seems CAF has learned from the 2007 African Player of the Year ceremony, which was held in February 2008. In the middle of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. This caused a bit of controversy when winner Didier Drogba was unable to attend the ceremony, because he was still playing in the CAF organized tournament, and so the award was instead given to Fredi Kanoute. Because as well as being good at football, Kanoute was also free that particular evening. Drogba was not amused. But at least the ceremony for the 2009 award will take place a full 25 days after the end of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, so we hopefully won’t be getting a repeat of that fiasco.

Second, this is yet another shortlist dominated by Barcelona. Just saying. The club were so good in 2009 that even an award ceremony based on a whole other continent has found a way to recognize them.

Last but definitely not least: Samuel Eto’o. With his trio of wins in 2003, 2004 and 2005, the Cameroon striker is currently tied for all time African Player of the Year awards with the legendary duo of George Weah and Abédi Pelé. If Eto’o takes the 2009 award he’ll be out on his own as a four time African Player of the Year award winner. Provided he’s free to collect the award that night.

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Category: Africa

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Achimages

Please caf stop partiality, what about osaze
YUNGEH

ETO'O IS THE BEST, PLEASE GIVE IT TO HIM. HE WON LOTS OF TROPHIES FOR BACERLONA LAST SEASON.
EMMANUELE

ETO'O DESERVE THIS AWARD. HE WAS OUTSTANDING LAST YEAR.
Andrew Atabe

Samuel Eto'o is the best for the year. He deserves the award. Please let him have it.
mboyi

ETO'O IS A FOOTBALL LEGEND OF ALL TIMES. HIS STANDARD IS BEYOND THE AFRICAN LEVEL. I THINK HE GREATLY MERITS THE AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR. HE IS A FOOTBALL "JUJU".
cindy

etoo is the best player for the 2009 season. CAF should not repeat the mistake they made two seasons ago by giving his tittle to Drogba. beware and be wise
Olusiji Balogun

I'll give it to Eto'o. No controversy
emmanuel

etoo is da best
Sergio

Eto is the player of the year 2009. He was classic, goal oriented, goal scorer, his comportment was excellent,team manager, discipline, and he was a fantastic fair-play player. He was the highest goal scorer in Spain and in Cameroon national team. He was just awesome. This is the time to evaluate CAF integrity. Eto first, Drogba Second and Ahmed Hassan (Egypt) should have been the third(He is fantastic in traditional African soccer)
Sergio

Eto is the player of the year 2009. He was classic, goal oriented, goal scorer, comportment was excellent, was a fantastic fair-play player. He was the highest goal scorer but in spain and in Cameroon national team. He just awesome. This is the time to evaluate CAF integrity. Eto first, Drogba Second and Ahmed Hassan (Egypt) should be the thirth
alain

rating of players after the CAN 2009;DROGBA 4/10, ETO'O 8.5/10
Mike

none of these players are better than Benny Mc Carthy of South africa. I mean, that guy is good and deadly in front of goals.
he is the deservedly African player of the year 2009
then after him come Idriss carlos Kameni, the goalkeeper
and 3rd is Obafemi martins
god banker

et0.o is the greatest player in Africa 2010
folarin

i will never watch the african nations cup again if eto'o does not win the award and yaya toure is not second. this should be a certainty considering the treble, that no club has won in 10 years, they won. Even if Drogba somehow wins on vote CAF should ignore it & personally give it to eto'o because i don't see any african player repeating what eto'o did in the 2008/09 season. it was classic with lots of record to behold.
Sibonelo

I have the good list so far who i think were impressing during this African Nations Cup 2010.

1. Ahmed Hassan (Egypt)
2. Kwadwo Asamoah (Ghana)
3. Alexandra Song (Cameroon)
4. Christopher Katongo (Zambia)
5. Flavio (Angola)
6. Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)
7. Ahmed Fathi (Egypt)
8. Karim Zaini (Algeria)
9. Peter Odemwingie (Nigeria)
10. Seydou Keita (Mali)
premier league highlights

Hey, I just wanted to say what a good website. I totally enjoyed it and found it interesting reading. Anticipating your next post!
lemnyuy clovis

samuel etoo should be awarded african footballer of the year.he deserves it.
clovis

etoo is the best in africa
Ben Idam

I strongly believe Drogba is the right man for the job. I mean who are we fooling? The man was simply fantastic last year (and he still is). His team contributions (goal scoring, assists, defence ability) are simply textbook!
cedric

whatever happens, let's not forget that the onging african cup will deliver the last point of conviction to the various headcoaches who are to vote. too bad seidou keita and yaya toure have already started poorly.
Kingsley

Give it to Drogba is my winner
Tosin Olabisi,Lagos,Nigeria

Samuel Eto'o is my best candidate for 2009 African footballer award.He performed excellently well with his 36 goals last season.
Fortune korgwu

I believe it should be given to drogba.after-all they robbed him 2008.bbc should pay him back cause he deserve it.
Yusuf

To start with, I would like to say shame to the organizers of the Confederation of African Football (CAF)for giving an award won by Didier Drogba to Fredi Kanoute in 2008. remember you organised the African cup of nations n Drogba was fully representing his country which every player will do under any condition.For the 2009, Samule Eto'o of Cameroon with his 30+ goals for Barcelona last season make him my African footballer/player of the yrea 2009. Samuel Eto'o shoule also be added to the legendary list of Abedi Pele of Ghana and King George Oppong Weah of Liberia.
Mohamed Yoki

Didier Drogba, the goal merchant will surely emerge victorous.
M . Junior

Eto'o is the best for 2009 having won the trebble with barcelona and scoring such amount of goals including his goal at the uefa final in italy.he won the match against manchester with that wonderful goal and told the world the talent flows in his blood stream.definitely he is the best and not even messi his former team mate can dispute this ,neither can the racist guadiola .thank God he left barcelona where guadiola is jealoused and did not want eto'o to claim the ballon d'or and fifa player of the year,whether you do what you cannot take away the gold medal in sydney 2000,the gold medals of african nations cup in 2000 and 2002,pichichi of spain just to name a few .eto'o i'm proud of you because you make africa proud and you cannot tolerate rubbish from racist like guardiola.continue to win trophies for africa and the world by winning this years african footballer of the year which the whole world knows you must win by merit,you are the quadra-caf/africa player just like koffi olomide in music quadra kora-man.God bless you eto'o and bless Cameroon and africa.
Uchendu Nnaemeka

I beleive Didier Drogba wil win.
Porn-hater

Eto'o will win for sure. He was the best last season. Award rewards forwards first if they were prolific the previous season and so was Eto'o with 36 goals. Drogba has a nightmare start to last season with injuries and problem with the coach. He played well but only in the second half of the season, late right?
xczcxczczxczxcx

What??!!
Jens

I like the list,,, they absolutely deserve with it
kabir

Al...just why would you say something like that?
Al

Since Drogba is such 'a disgrace' and is as African as slavery, dictatorships and filthy diamond mines: go'o Eto'o!!! Presenting the positive face of Africa! Break the record!!!
Thomas

Mamadou Niang needs some recognition eventually. Most of you probably don't see him on a weekly basis, but you may remember his performances against Milan and Madrid this fall...
Helge

Not to forget Eto'o's goal in the final, Jose55.

Plus his 30+ goals with Barca, definitely gotta be Eto'o this year!
Bouba

If I Remember, Drogba has asked not to be considered as a recipient for the award after the 2007 fiasco...
What is he doing on the shortlist?
Jose55

Interesting: All five were on the field for the UEFA Champions League semifinal match at Stamford Bridge. Keita, Yaya, and Eto'o with Barcelona, Drogba and Essien with Chelsea.

Essien even scored the first goal.