Frédéric Kanouté, the former Mali and West Ham striker, has thrown his weight behind Ghanaian midfielder Mohammed Kudus, tipping him for the prestigious African Player of the Year accolade.
Amidst a standout season with West Ham United in both the English Premier League and European competitions, Kudus has emerged as a pivotal figure.
stellar performances have not gone unnoticed, particularly his standout displays for Ghana during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where he secured two Man of the Match awards.
Reflecting on Kudus’s burgeoning talent, Kanouté, himself a recipient of the African Player of the Year award in 2007, effused praise for the Ghanaian prodigy, emphasizing his multifaceted skill set and immense potential.
“He’s really, really talented. He has everything you need, he is strong, he runs forward, he can play in different positions.
He is still very young and I think he is one of the most exciting African players at the moment. So yeah, he definitely has a chance for me,” Kanouté remarked during an interview on the Irons Podcast.
Kanouté, who enjoyed a distinguished career spanning spells at West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, draws parallels between Kudus’s attributes and those requisite for clinching the coveted title of African Player of the Year.
Having spent three prolific years at West Ham, where he notched 27 goals in 76 appearances, Kanouté possesses a nuanced understanding of the rigors and demands of English football, lending credence to his endorsement of Kudus’s candidacy for the esteemed accolade.
As Kudus continues to illuminate the footballing landscape with his flair and finesse, his pursuit of African Player of the Year honors serves as a testament to his burgeoning stature on the continental stage, with Kanouté’s endorsement amplifying the chorus of acclaim surrounding the Ghanaian sensation.
