African Player of the Year 2012 Nominees
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| ADEL TAARABT |
1 Abdelaziz Barrada Getafe Morocco
The Moroccan midfielder played 32 matches for Getafe in the Spanish Primera Division in 2011-12 season scoring four times and making 5 assists. In the current 2012-12013 season he has played in
5 matches and scored 3 goals. Barrada played all three games for Morocco men’s Olympic team at London 2012 Olympiad and scored against Honduras
2 Adel Taarabt Queens ParkRangers Morocco
Played 28 times in 2011-12 season for Queens Park Rangers scoring twice. Named QPR young player of the year 2011-2012 season. He has played 15 times for Morocco, scoring 4 goals.
3 Alain Sibiri Traore FC Lorient Burkina Faso
The Burkina Faso international helped his country reach AFCON
2012. Was one of the bright spots in an Auxerre team that was
relegated from French Ligue 1 at the end of 2011-2012 season and
he was snatched up by FC Lorient for whom he has scored 4 goals
in 5 matches so far.
4 Alexander Song Barcelona Cameroon
Cameroon born international was voted in second place as Arsenal
player of the season by the fans. The defensive midfielder had a
hand in vital goals scored by Arsenal in 2011-2012 season. Left for
Barcelona in August 2012 after 204 appearances and 10 goals for
Arsenal. He is a member of the Cameroon national team.
5 Andre Ayew Marseille Ghana
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| ANDRE DEDE AYEW |
and scored on 16 occasions in 2011- 2012 season. He was part of Black Stars team that reached the semi-finals of the 2012 AFCON finals before finishing fourth overall. Has already scored four goals in 12 matches for his club in the current 2012-2013 season
6 Arouna Kone Wigan Cote d’Ivoire
The Ivorian had a storming 2011-2012 season while on loan at
Levante in the Spanish Primera Division. He scored 15 goals in 34 matches helping the Spanish side reach Europa League. Currently playing in English premiership with Wigan where he has scored twice in 6 games so far.
7 Aymen Abdennour Toulouse Tunisia
The Tunisian defender has had a great 2011-2012 season with his French club Toulouse and the national team. Reached the quarter finals of 2012 AFCON. Scored four times in 36 appearances for Toulouse prompting a call into Tunisian national side.
8 Bakaye Traoré A.C Milan Mali
The Malian player was part of the national team that reached the
2012 AFCON finals before finishing in third place. He followed a
good season’s performance at club level with Nancy with an equal
strong performance at national level. Scored in a 1-0 win over
Guinea at AFCON finals.
9 Cheick Ismael Tioté Newcastle United Coted’Ivoire
The Ivorian defensive midfielder who plays for Newcastle Utd and
commanded a regular place in the team during 2011-2012 season.
Was part of Ivory Coast side that finished runners-up at 2012
AFCON and he scored his side first penalty in the shoot-out with
eventual winners Zambia
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| CHRISTOPHER KATONGO |
The Zambian national team captain led his charges to their
country’s first African title at 2012 Gabon- Equatorial Guinea
finals. The striker was voted the Player of the Tournament at 2012
AFCON finals. Katongo has continued to score crucial goals for
Zambia in both qualifiers for 2013 AFCON and 2014 FIFA World
Cup. Has scored 19 goals in 74 appearances for Zambia to this day.
11 Demba Ba Sèvres Senegal
The Senegalese striker scored 16 goals in 36 appearances for Newcastle United in the English Premiership. Hisgoals in the qualifiers helped Senegal reach 2012 AFCON finals. Demba Ba was
voted the best signing of 2011-2012 season by managers in English
Premiership. Finished club top goal-scorer and has so far scored 6
goals in 7 games in the new season.
12 Didier Drogba Shanghai Shenhua Cote d’Ivoire
The Ivorian striker had an eventful 2011-2012 season with both
club and country. He scored the equalizer and winning penalty to
give Chelsea the European Champions League title and missed a
penalty in 2012 AFCON final during regulation time. His goals took
Ivory Coast into 2012 AFCON finals were they finished up second to
Zambia. Scored the winning goal in FA cup final for Chelsea in
what became his last season with the English club before he signed
for Shanghai Shenhua in China.
13 Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu Udinese Ghana
The Ghanaian defensive midfielder managed to nail down a regular
place in the Udinese side in the Italian Serie A. He was also part of
the Ghana side that finished fourth at 2012 AFCON finals. Has
fitted into the team as a cover man for the midfielders at the club
and made the position his own
14 Emmanuel Mayuka Southampton Zambia
The Zambia striker won the Golden boot for the top goal scorer at
2012 AFCON finals. His goals propelled Zambia in into the finals
and it was his sweetly struck shot that beat Ghana in the semifinal
at 2012 AFCON. Mayuka had an equally stellar 2011- 2012
season his Swiss club Young Boys where he scored crucial goals in
their Europa League campaign.
15 Foxi Kethevoama FC Astana Central Africa
The Central African Republic midfielder scored both goals in his
country’s first ever win in World Cup qualifiers. He plies his trade
with FC Astana in the Kazhkstan Premier League . Kethevoama was
part of the C.A.R side that knocked 7 time African Champions-
Egypt out of 2013 AFCON and the midfielder scored one goal and
assisted in two other from the four goals took C.A.R to the final
qualification stage for 2013 AFCON.
16 Gervais Lombe
Yao Kouassi Arsenal Cote d’Ivoire
The Ivorian striker was part of the national side that reached 2012
AFCON final and it was his goal from a solo run from his own half
that beat Mali in the semi-final. His club performance was
unfortunately not matched by his national success in 2011-2012
season but he has started 2012-2013 club season with a bang,
scoring four goals in 6 games.
17 Hilaire Roméo Verdi Momi Le Mans Central Africa
The Central African Republic striker plays for Le Mans in the
French Ligue 2 and has been part of a vastly improved national
team that reached the last qualification stage of 2013 AFCON. His
double strike in Egypt helped C.A.R inflict a rare defeat to the 7
time African champions. He is a regular at Le Mans where he had
scored and made several assists.
18 John Obi Mikel Chelsea Nigeria
The Nigerian midfielder scored more success with club than
country winning European Champions League and an FA title with
Chelsea. The success was however not replicated at national level
and Obi’s Nigeria failed to make it to 2012 AFCON finals.
19 John Utaka Montpellier Nigeria
The Nigerian striker played a crucial role in helping club side
Montpellier win their first ever French Ligue 1 title. He was
constantly on the score sheet and making assists too. His six and
seventh goals of the season helped beat Auxerre 2-1 in a match
that secured the title
20 Kwadwo Asamoah Juventus Ghana
The Ghanaian midfielder produced some fine performances in an
Udinese shirt in the Italian Serie A in 20111-2012 season. He
established himself in the side and was soon chased by a number
of bigger clubs. He was part of the Black Stars side at 2012 AFCON
finals and finished fourth at that tournament. Italian champions
signed him up at the end of 2011 season.
21 Moussa Sow Fenerbahçe Senegal
The Senegalese hit man had another fabulous season with Lille in
French Ligue 1 in 2011-2012 before moving to Fenerbahçe in
Turkey. He scored 11 goals in 25 matches for Lille and went on to
notch 9 goals in 15 games for Fernebache . He was able to make
his debut for Senegal and played at 2012 AFCON finals scoring
against Equatorial Guinea
22 Nicolas N’koulou Marseille Cameroon
The Cameroonian defender has been growing in strength and
stature at Marseille where he has become a regular in the team.
He is part of the national team.
23 Papiss Demba Cissé Newcastle United Senegal
The Senegalese striker moved to Newcastle in January 2012 from
SC Freiburg and went on to score 13 league goals from 14 matches.
His second goal in a 2-0 win over Chelsea was voted BBC goal of
the season. He scored freely for Senegal in qualifiers with his goals
helping the Terenga Lions reach 2012 AFCON finals.
24 Pape Moussa Konaté FC Krasnodar Senegal
The Senegalese striker scored in each of the four games Senegal
played at London 2012 Olympics . He had an impressive season
with Maccabi Tel Aviv scoring 8 times in 42 appearances. He was
snatched up for 2012-2013 season by Russian club FC Krasnodar.
25 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Laval Gabon
The Gabonese striker has had an impressive season with both club
and country. His goals to co-hosts Gabon to the quarter finals of
2012 AFCON. He finished joint top goal scorer in that competition
with 3 goals and his 18 goals from 38 matches for Saint Etienne
made him a favourate with club fans. He has scored 4 goals from 6
matches so far this season.
26 Rainford Kalaba TP Mazembe Zambia
The Zambian midfielder was part of the 2012 AFCON winning side
and architecture of the team’s build ups. Apart from orchestrating
and assisting in goals scored Kalaba has often popped up with vital
goals too among them the winning goal against Senegal at 2012
AFCON. He replicates his influential role for Zambia at his club
with TP Mazembe who has reached the semi-finals of 2012 CAF
Champions League.
27 Seydou Doumbia CSKA Moscow Cote d’Ivoire
The Ivorian striker won the Golden Boot after finishing top goalscorer
in the Russian Premier League with CSKA Moscow with 23
goals. The sure-footed striker was part of the Ivorian national side
at 2012 AFCON finals. He scored a total of 37 goals in 57 matches
in 2011-2012 season for CSKA Moscow
28 Seydou Keita Dalian Aerbin Mali
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| SEIDU KEITA |
at 2012 AFCON finals. He made his highest number of appearances
in a season for club side Barcelona in Spanish La Liga (42) scoring 4
goals in 2011- 2012 season. He also won the Copa del Reya Cup
with his club before moving to China where he now plays for
Dalian Aerbin FC.
29 Sofiane Feghouli Almeria Algeria
The attacking midfielder is currently playing his club football for
Almeria in the Spanish La Liga (while on loan from Valencia). He
made 48 appearances scoring 6 times during 2011-2012 season.
Made his debut for Algeria October 2011 and has scored twice for
the Desert Foxes against Gambia and Rwanda in 2014 FIFA World
Cup qualifiers.
30 Stoppila Sunzu TP Mazembe Zambia
The versatile Zambian converted the winning penalty in the 2012
AFCON final after he had helped shut out the Ivorian strike force
during the match. He plays his club football with TP Mazembe
where he is a regular in the side that has so far reached the 2012
CAF Champions League final.
31 Victor Moses Chelsea Nigeria
The winger cum-striker had a fabulous 2011-2012 season with
English Premiership side, Wigan. He was a regular in the side and
noted for his assists and also contributed with 6 goals from his 36
matches in that season. He was called up for national duty by
Nigeria and made his debut in February 2012 against Rwanda. His
impressive performances with Wigan saw him signed up by Chelsea
in August 2012 and he went on to score for his new club on his
debut.
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| YAYA TOURE |
The Ivorian midfielder and reigning African Footballer of the year
had another stellar season in 2011-2012. His box to box runs have
become trade-mark for club and country and made Yaya an
important player. He scores 9 goals in 43 games for Manchester
City and helped the club win the English Premiership title in 44
years. He was voted in the PFA Premier League team of the year
2011- 2012 season. With Ivory Coast Yaya was part of the team
that blitzed its way to the 2012 AFCON finals before losing the
final on penalties to Zambia. He scored in a 3-0 win over co-hosts
Equatorial Guinea in the quarter finals.
33 Younes Belhanda Avignon Morocco
The Moroccan player who plays as midfielder or winger had a
brilliant 2011-2012 season with his French Ligue 1 side,
Montpellier. He made 31 appearances and scored 13 times in a
storming league campaign that ended with Montpellier crowned
French champions. Belhanda was voted into the team of the
season and won the award of the best Young player of the year
2011-2012 season. He was part of Morocco national team at 2012
AFCON finals and scored in a 1-0 win over Niger.
34 Youssef Msakni Esperance Tunisia
The Tunisian forward had a good 2011-2012 season winning the
treble with club side Esperance in Tunisia. His goals helped the
club win CAF Champions League, Tunisian Championship and
Tunisian Cup. He was part of the national team that made it as far
as quarter finals at 2012 AFCON finals scoring twice.
