CAF unveils nominees for 2011 Player of the Year and Player of the Year (Based in Africa)

November 9, 2011 (CAF)

The Confederation of African Football(C AF) on Wednesday in Accra unveiled the nominees for the 2011 Player of the Year and the Player of the Year (Based in Africa).

The nominees were revealed by Kwesi Nyantakyi, CAF Executive Committee member and president of the Ghana Football Association.

Ten nominees each were named for the two categories based on the performance and contribution of the players to their clubs and national teams during the year under review. For the first time, there are 10 nominees for the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa), contrary to the five for last year.

The lists was compiled through a vigorous exercise by the Technical, Football and Media Committees of CAF, taking into account the performance of the player for his national team and club from January to November, 2011.

The nominees are (in alphabetical order):

2011 African Player of the Year (Based in Africa)

Ayoub Elkhiqi (Morocco and WAC)

Yaya Banana (Cameroon and EST)

Edward Sadomba (Zimbabwe and Al Hilal)

Idrissa Laouali (Niger and ASFA)

Jerome Ramatlhakwane (Botswana and Vasco da Gama)

Kalu Uche (Nigeria and Enyimba)

Oussama Darragi (Tunisia and EST)

Samir Aboud (Libya and Al-Etihad)

Youssef Msakni (Tunisia and EST)

Zouhir Dhaouadi (Tunisia and Club Africain)

2011African Player of the Year

Adel Taarabt (Morocco and Queens Park Rangers)

Andre Ayew (Ghana and Olympique de Marseille)

Asamoah Gyan (Ghana and Al-Ain)

Didier Drogba (Cote d’ Ivoire and Chelsea)

Kevin-Prince Boateng (Ghana and AC Milan)

Moussa Sow (Senegal and Lille)

Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon and Anzhi)

Seydou Keita (Mali and Barcelona)

Yao Kouassi Gervais “Gervinho” (Cote d’Ivoire and Arsenal)

Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire and Manchester City)

The winner will be decided by votes from the Head Coaches or the Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF.

The Awards Gala will be held on on Thursday, December 22 in Accra, Ghana. It will be the third time the Ghanaian capital will be hosting the annual event after 2006 and 2009.