Ivory Coast star Amad Diallo hopes to win African Player of the Year award one day after nomination

Ivory Coast international Amad Diallo has expressed his ambition to win the prestigious CAF African Player of the Year award one day after earning a place among the nominees for the 2026 edition.

The Manchester United winger described his nomination as a proud moment in his career, admitting that winning the continental individual honour has been a long-standing dream inspired by two of his country’s greatest football legends, Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré.

Speaking after being included on the shortlist, Diallo highlighted the significance of following in the footsteps of the former Chelsea and Manchester City stars, who both enjoyed remarkable careers and brought the award to Ivory Coast.

“I’m so proud. Honestly, it’s something I hope to win one day in my life, because I used to dream of seeing Drogba and Yaya Touré, who played for my country, win the African Player of the Year award,” he said.

Diallo is among ten players shortlisted for the 2026 African Player of the Year award and will face strong competition from some of the continent’s leading footballers.

The Ivorian faces a challenging contest against Yoane Wissa, Antoine Semenyo, Ismaël Saibari, Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Díaz, Ismaïla Sarr, Pape Gueye, Sadio Mané and South African midfielder Teboho Mokoena.

The nomination represents another important milestone for the Manchester United attacker, who has continued to raise his profile through his performances at club level and his contributions to the Ivorian national team.

Although Diallo is delighted to be among the final contenders, his ambitions extend beyond simply securing a nomination. The 23-year-old is determined to eventually become one of the winners of the prestigious award and add his name to the history of African football.

His inspiration, Drogba, won the African Player of the Year award twice, in 2006 and 2009, while Yaya Touré enjoyed an extraordinary run by claiming the honour four consecutive times between 2011 and 2014.

The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on December 2 in Lagos, Nigeria, where Africa’s outstanding performers across various categories will be recognised.

With voting ongoing, Diallo will be hoping his impressive contributions earn him enough support to overcome the competition and fulfil his ambition of becoming Africa’s best footballer.