Top 10 Nominees for African Ballon d’Or: Notable Absentees Make Headlines

Who will succeed Ademola Lookman, crowned African Player of the Year in 2024? The CAF announced the 10 finalists for this prestigious award on Wednesday. Two players stand out as strong contenders: Mohamed Salah, who finished fourth in the last Ballon d’Or and had an exceptional season with Liverpool in the Premier League, and Achraf Hakimi, who came in sixth in the last Ballon d’Or and was a key player in Paris Saint-Germain’s historic season.

The Egyptian and the Moroccan will face competition from eight other nominees: Victor Osimhen, remarkable since joining Galatasaray, is among the players nominated, alongside Serhou Guirassy, who ranked 21st in the Ballon d’Or after an incredible season with Dortmund (38 goals and 9 assists in 50 matches). Two former Marseille players are also included: Everton striker Iliman Ndiaye and Napoli midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

No Algerian Players Nominated, No Bryan Mbeumo or Omar Marmoush

Tottenham midfielder Pape Matar Sarr is also among the candidates, along with Denis Bouanga, who has excelled since joining Los Angeles FC. The Congolese international Fiston Mayele (Pyramids) and Moroccan forward Oussama Lamlioui (Berkane) are the final two players nominated. Notably, there are no Algerian players on the list this year, missing out are Rayan Aït-Nouri and Mohammed Amoura.

Other notable absences from this list include Cameroonian Bryan Mbeumo and Congolese Yoane Wissa, who both had standout seasons with Brentford, Omar Marmoush, who started impressively with Frankfurt before moving to Manchester City, defending champion Ademola Lookman, and Antoine Semenyo, a rising star at Bournemouth.