04.11.2026 18:22
The nominees in the best footballer category of the 2026 CAF Awards have been officially announced to the public. Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen and Trabzonspor's Muhammed Salah were not included in the list.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced the nominees for the best of the year as part of the 2026 Awards. In the men's category, with 10 nominees announced in 7 different categories, the absence of big names from the list drew attention.
OSIMHEN AND SALAH NOT ON THE LIST
Victor Osimhen, who wears the Galatasaray jersey, and Trabzonspor's star Mohamed Salah did not find a place for themselves in the nominee list announced for the African Footballer of the Year award.
STANDOUT STARS FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
While the award's most recent winner, Achraf Hakimi, takes his place on the list to defend his top title; names such as Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Antoine Semenyo, Brahim Diaz and Amad Diallo will compete to become the player of the year. In determining the nominees, the performances of the teams and players competing in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), hosted by Morocco, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup were decisive.
FOFANA ALSO IN CONTENTION
On the other hand, among the goalkeeper of the year nominees, Çaykur Rizespor's Ivorian goalkeeper Yahia Fofana also managed to take his place.