The 2022 edition of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards Gala will be staged this evening in Morocco to recognize and celebrate the best footballers on the continent in the year under review.
The much-anticipated event definitely will see so much excitement as all attention and sights will be kept closely on who takes home the ultimate in both the men and women category.
Senegalese international and current holder Sadio Mane will battle it out with former teammate Mohammed Salah and national teammate and Chelsea netminder, Edouard Mendy for the men's best player accolade.
Also, in the women's category, the award has been left void since 2019 with no winner adjudged and current holder Asisat Oshoala who has won it four times, still finds herself in the final nominees alongside Inter Milan and Cameroon's Ajara Nchout Njoya and Grace Chanda from Zambia.
Hasaacas Ladies duo Evelyn Badu and Doris Boaduwaa have been nominated for the young women footballer award with the latter also vying for the Women's Inter-Club best footballer accolade
The Hasmal Ladies are also going to battle it out with African champions Mamelodi Sundowns ladies and others for the Women's Club of the year.
Below is the full list of nominees;
Player of the Year (Women)
Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon & Internazionale Milano)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)
Grace Chanda (Zambia & BIIK Kazygurt)
Player of the Year (Men)
Edouard Mendy (Senegal & Chelsea)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Bayern Munich)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Andile Dlamini (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Bambanani Mbanie (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men)
Achraf Dari (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
Aliou Dieng (Mali & Al Ahly)
Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly)
Young Player of the Year (Women)
Doris Boaduwaa (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Yasmine Zouhir (Morocco & AS Saint-Etienne
Young Player of the Year (Men)
Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia & Manchester United)
Karim Konate (Cote d’Ivoire & ASEC/RB Salzburg)
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal & Tottenham Hotspur)
Coach of the Year (Women)
Bruce Mwape (Zambia)
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Jerry Tshabalala (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Reynald Pedros (Morocco)
Coach of the Year (Men)
Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
Carlos Queiroz (Egypt)
Walid Regragui (Wydad Athletic Club)
Club of the Year (Women)
AS FAR (Morocco)
Hasaacas Ladies (Ghana)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Club of the Year (Men)
Al Ahly (Egypt)
RS Berkane (Morocco)
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
National Team of the Year (Men)
Cameroon
Egypt
Senegal
National Team of the Year (Women)
Due to the absence of a major women’s competition during the period under review, the Organising Team for the CAF Awards 2022 has reviewed the selection process for this important category. The TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco will be factored as one of the criteria in deciding a winner befitting of the status of the award and women’s football in general. The winner will be announced on 23 July 2022 during the final match of the Women’s AFCON.
Goal of the Year
Gabadinho Mhango (Malawi & Orlando Pirates)
Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba)
Zouhair El Moutaraji (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
By: Iddriss Abdul Rahim