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25-years of CAF Awards
- Updated: January 3, 2017
The annual CAF Awards enters its 25th edition this year and the Awards Gala will take place for the second time running in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. On Thursday, 5 January 2017; the King of African football will be crowned at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, amongst the trio of last year’s winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon, Riyad Mahrez of Algeria and Senegalese Sadio Mane. From 1992 to 2015, from Ghana’s Abedi Pele to Gabonese Aubameyang, 15 players have laid claim to the most prestigious individual honour in African football. Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o was the first to be crowned on four occasions – 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010; a record since equalled by Toure, who made it four on the trot (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014). Former Senegal forward, El Hadji Diouf won the award twice in a row; 2001 and 2002. However, the first player to have been named CAF African Player of the Year on two occasions was ex-Nigeria captain, Nwankwo Kanu, in 1996 and 1999 before Ivorian Didier Drogba replicated the feat in 2006 and 2009. Winners of the prestigious honour have come from either the midfield or attack; and that tradition will be respected yet again this time, with the three contenders being attackers. In addition, the 15 players to have been decorated since 1992, have and continue to remain amongst the foremost African ambassadors of the world’s most popular sport. There are also several others who were so near and yet so far, including Ivorian goalkeeper Alain Gouamene in 1992; …
