Asamoah Gyan shockingly excluded for Caf Player of the Year list

Published on: 05 October 2012

Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan was a shock exclusion from CAF's preliminary 34-man list for the African Football of the Year.

Africa's governing body released its list for this year's award on Thursday and the exclusion the UAE-based striker has raised eyebrows in many quarters.

The exclusion of Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon has also been criticised as many players on the list did not match up to the performances of the two stars this year.

Gyan, who ended up as the top scorer in the UAE league, was left out even though he was also key when the Black Stars reached the semi-final Cup of Nations in January.

He has already hit the ground running in the UAE top-flight so far this season scoring seven times in three appearances.

CAF said in a statement that it will announce the top 10 nominees for the African Footballer of the Year and the top five nominees for African footballer of the Year (based in Africa) by late October.

The names of the respective 10 and five finalists will then be sent to national associations, head coaches and secretary generals to select the top three finalists.

The awards, which also include Coach of the Year and Club of the Year will be announced at a ceremony on 20 December in the Banquet Hall, State House in the Ghanaian capital Accra.

Nominees for African Player of the Year:

  1. Abdelaziz Barrada - Getafe (Spain) and Morocco
  2. Adel Taarabt - Queens Park Rangers (England) and Morocco
  3. Alain Sibiri Traore - Lorient (France) and Burkina Faso
  4. Alexander Song - Barcelona (Spain) and Cameroon
  5. Andre 'Dede' Ayew - Marseille (France) and Ghana
  6. Arouna Kone - Wigan (England) and Ivory Coast
  7. Aymen Abdennour - Toulouse (France) and Tunisia
  8. Bakaye Traore - AC Milan (Italy) and Mali
  9. Cheick Tiote - Newcastle United (England) and Ivory Coast
  10. Christopher Katongo - Henan Construction (China) and Zambia
  11. Demba Ba - Newcastle United (England) and Senegal
  12. Didier Drogba - Shanghai Shenhua (China) and Ivory Coast
  13. Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu - Udinese (Italy) and Ghana
  14. Emmanuel Mayuka - Southampton (England) and Zambia
  15. Foxi Kethevoama - FC Astana (Kazakhstan) and Central African Republic
  16. Gervinho - Arsenal (England) and Ivory Coast
  17. Hilaire Momi - Le Mans (France) and Central African Republic
  18. John Obi Mikel - Chelsea (England) and Nigeria
  19. John Utaka - Montpellier (France) and Nigeria
  20. Kwadwo Asamoah - Juventus (Italy) and Ghana
  21. Moussa Sow - Fenerbahce (Turkey) and Senegal
  22. Nicolas N'koulou - Marseille (France) and Cameroon
  23. Papiss Demba Cisse - Newcastle United (England) and Senegal
  24. Pape Moussa Konate - FC Krasnodar (Russia) and Senegal
  25. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - St Etienne (France) and Gabon
  26. Rainford Kalaba - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Zambia
  27. Seydou Doumbia - CSKA Moscow (Russia) and Ivory Coast
  28. Seydou Keita - Dalian Aerbin (China) and Mali
  29. Sofiane Feghouli - Valencia (Spain) and Algeria
  30. Stoppila Sunzu - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Zambia
  31. Victor Moses - Chelsea (England) and Nigeria
  32. Yaya Toure - Manchester City (England) and Ivory Coast
  33. Younes Belhanda - Montpellier (France) and Morocco
  34. Youssef Msakni - Esperance (Tunisia) and Tunisia
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Learn more