BBC African Player of the Year 2014: The Race Is On
The BBC has officially announced the five nominees for its prestigious African Player of the Year 2014 award. This year’s shortlist includes:
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
Gervinho (Ivory Coast & AS Roma)
Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & FC Porto)
Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria & Lille)
Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast & Manchester City) – the reigning champion
These names were selected by a panel of African football journalists, and fans across the globe now have the power to determine the winner through online voting on the BBC’s platforms until November 24. The winner will be revealed on December 1.
A Legacy of Greatness
The award has long celebrated the very best of African talent in global football. Here’s a look back at the recent winners:
2013 – Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast, Manchester City)
2012 – Chris Katongo (Zambia, Henan Construction)
2011 – André Ayew (Ghana, Marseille)
2010 – Asamoah Gyan (Ghana, Sunderland)
2009 – Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea)
2008 – Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt, Al Ahly)
2007 – Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo, Arsenal)
2006 – Michael Essien (Ghana, Chelsea)
2005 – Mohamed Barakat (Egypt, Al Ahly)
2004 & 2003 – Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria, Bolton)
2002 – El Hadji Diouf (Senegal, Liverpool)
2001 – Sammy Kuffour (Ghana, Bayern Munich)
2000 – Patrick Mboma (Cameroon, Parma)
A Close Contest
While Yaya Touré seeks to retain his crown and add a third BBC award to his name, players like Brahimi and Aubameyang are pushing hard after stellar years in Europe. Vincent Enyeama’s heroics in goal and Gervinho’s resurgence at Roma also make this one of the most tightly contested editions in recent memory.
Fans have the final say — and as African stars shine brighter than ever, this year’s title is wide open.
