The CAF Footballer of the year award is an award given to the best Male footballer from the African continent organized by the Confederation of African Football. The award organized last week saw Senegalese captain, Sadio Mane retain the award after an incredible season with Senegal with whom he won the AFCON and Liverpool where he won the FA Cup.
The first CAF footballer of the year award took place in 1992 and Ex-Ghanaian footballer and legend, Abedi Pele won the award for the best male African footballer of the year. Since then, the Award has successfully been held yearly with a total of 28 awards with 17 winners.
Nigeria has produced four winners of the award, with Nwankwo Kanu winning twice. The last time a Nigerian won the award was in 1999
Here are the four Nigerians who have been crowned African Player of the Year.
Rashidi Yekini ( Vitoria Setubal ) – 1993
Nigerian goal machine Rashidi Yekini was the first Nigerian player to win the African Player of the Year award following his explosive goalscoring form for club and country in 1993.
The Super Eagles legend scored a career-best 34 goals for Portuguese side Vitória de Setúbal in the 1992/93 season which helped the club to secure promotion to the elite division.
Yekini scored 37 goals as a Nigerian international footballer, and represented the nation in seven major tournaments, including two World Cups where he scored the country’s first-ever goal in the competition. He was part of the team that participated in the 1994, where he netted Nigeria’s first-ever goal in a World Cup.
Emmanuel Amuneke – 1994
Amuneke succeeded Yekini as the African Footballer of the Year following his blistering performances for Sporting CP of Portugal and El Zamalek of Egypt, as well as his exploits in Nigeria’s triumph at the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia. He is remembered for scoring the two goals that won Nigeria the AFCON trophy against Zambia in 1994. He also played from FC Barcelona and Albacete Balompié in Spain
The winger also gave solid displays for the Super Eagles in Nigeria’s debut FIFA World Cup campaign held in the USA in 1994 scoring 2 goals He then emerged second in the award in 1995. He was also BBC African footballer of the year
In total, he had 27 caps for Nigeria scoring 9 goals while his club football boasted 45 goals in 158 appearances. He is currently the assistant coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Nwankwo Kanu – (Inter Milan) 1996 and (Arsenal) 1999
Kanu is still regarded as the Golden Boy of Nigerian football after coming into limelight with his sublime brace against Brazil at the Olympic games in 1996. That year, Kanu won the CAF African Footballer of the Year award. He would also win the award twice later in 1999, making him the first and only Nigeria to achieve such a feat till date.
“Papillo” as he was fondly called, played prominent role in Ajax’s 1995 UEFA Champions League triumph, Kanu moved to Inter Milan in 1996, but it was his exploits at leading Nigeria to the football gold medal at the Atlanta ’96 Olympics that helped him to the CAF top award in 1996, not forgetting his memorable brace against Brazil in the semi-final comeback win.
After surviving a career-threatening heart defect, Kanu moved to Arsenal in February 1999 where he revived his football career. His exploits for The Gunners was largely responsible for his second CAF award with his 17-minute hat-trick in the 3-2 win against Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge is the biggest highlight of his season.
Victor Ikpeba (Monaco) – 1997
The 1996/1997 season was a time to remember for Victor Ikebad who was in scintillating form for club and country. Ikpeba emerged Africa’s best player in 1997 following his exploits for club and country. The striker took the French Ligue 1 by storm scoring 13 goals to help Monaco to the league title in the 1996/97 season earning him the nickname, “the prince of Monaco”.
Ikpeba also emerged as the second-highest goalscorer with seven goals behind Maurizio Ganz (8 goals) in the 1996/97 UEFA Cup playing for Monaco, while also featuring prominently in Nigeria’s qualification campaign ahead of the 1998 World Cup.
Honorary Mentions
Some Nigerian players couldn’t win the award but got close to after having remarkable seasons in their clubs and country. The last time a Nigerian player got close to winning was in 2014 when Vincent Enyeama came third behind Aubameyang and Yaya Toure.
In 2013 when the Super Eagles won the AFCON, Super Eagles captain at that time, John Mikel Obi came very close to winning, losing to eventual winner, Yaya Toure.
Austin Okocha came third in 2003 and 2004 to be among the most unlucky talents from Africa that didn’t win the CAF Best Player Award.