Super Eagles players Kelechi Iheanacho, John Obi Mikel and Ahmed Musa made the 30-man list of players nominated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the African Footballer of the Year 2016.
The last time a Nigerian player won the award was in 1999 when Nwankwo Kanu was crowned. The closest in modern times was in 2013 when Mikel was named second best to Yaya Toure. In 2014 Vincent Enyeama was third behind current player of the year awardee Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang who was also nominated.
This is Iheanacho’s first-ever nomination for the continent’s top individual accolade after he enjoyed a breakthrough season with Manchester City in the English Premier League.
The 20-year-old striker has also established himself at full international level after he represented Nigeria at U-17 and U-20 levels.
Chelsea midfielder Mikel inspired Nigeria to win bronze at the recent Rio Olympics, while Ahmed Musa has shone at Russian champions CSKA Moscow before his big-money move to Leicester City.
Aubameyang will face a lot of competition, especially from the English Premier League, with the likes of Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez, West Ham’s Andrew Ayew, and rising Man City ace Iheanacho.
Mahrez would have been a clear winner for this award after his brilliant, Premier League-winning season in 2015/16 in which he was named PFA Player of the Year. However, his – and his team’s – abysmal start to the campaign may threaten his odds.
The Nominees
1. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Leicester City) 2. El Arabi Hillel Soudani (Algeria & Dinamo Zagreb) 3. Islam Slimani (Algeria & Leicester City) 4. Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon & Antalyaspor) 5. Benjamin Mounkandjo (Cameroon & Lorient) 6. Serge Aurier (Cote d’Ivoire & PSG) 7. Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester City) 8. Yao Kouasi Gervais ‘Gervinho’ (Cote d’Ivoire & Hebei Fortune) 9. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma) 10. Mohamed El Neny (Egypt & Arsenal) 11. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Dortmund) 12. Andre Ayew (Ghana & West Ham) 13. Victor Wanyama (Kenya & Tottenham) 14. William Jebor (Liberia & Wydad Athletic Club) 15. Mehdi Benatia (Morocco & Juventus) 16. Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax) 17. John Mikel Obi (Nigeria & Chelsea) 18. Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria & Manchester City) 19. Ahmed Musa (Nigeria & Leicester City) 20. Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal) 21. Yannick Bolasie (DR Congo & Everton) 22. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool) 23. Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli) 24. Keegan Dolly (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns) 25. Itumeleng Khune (South Africa & Kaizer Chiefs) 26. Mbwana Samatta (Tanzania & Genk) 27. Aymen Abdennour Tunisia & Valencia) 28. Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia & Sunderland) 29. Dennis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns) 30. Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns)
