African Footballer of the Year

The African Footballer of the Year award, presented annually to the best African footballer, has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1992. It has been included as part of the CAF Awards ceremony since 2000.

Samuel Eto'o and Yaya Touré have won the award the most times (four wins each). Two-time winner Didier Drogba is the player with the most runner-up appearances (four), most third place finishes (third), and most appearances in the top three (nine).

The France-born Frédéric Kanouté, Riyad Mahrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, England-born Ademola Lookman and Spain-born Achraf Hakimi are the only European-born players to win the award (both Kanouté and Aubameyang initially featured for France's U21 squad before going on to represent Mali and Gabon, respectively).Kanoute named Africa's best The winner of the 2025 edition was Achraf Hakimi.

History The Year Golden Ball award was given out between 1970 and 1994 by France Football magazine. The changes resulted in parallel Golden Ball awards given out to Abedi Pele and George Weah in 1993 and 1994 by the magazine, although the CAF sponsored awards for those years were won respectively by Rashidi Yekini and Emmanuel Amuneke, as well as two awards given to Abedi Pele in 1992. France Football discontinued its award in 1995 after the European Ballon d'Or – also awarded by the magazine – had been opened to all players in the European leagues.

In 1991, the magazine Afrique Football installed an award. It was discontinued in 2003.

Winners France Football award (1970–1994)

The award by France Football magazine of non-European nationality, the award being given to George Weah that year. It had already been replaced by an official award given out by the Confederation of African Football since 1992.

YearRankPlayerTeamPoints1970 1st Salif Keïta Saint-Étienne54 2nd Laurent Pokou ASEC Abidjan28 3rd Ali Abo Greisha Ismaily281971 1st Ibrahim Sunday Asante Kotoko29 2nd Robert Mensah Asante Kotoko15 3rd François Ndoumbé Canon Yaoundé131972 1st Chérif Souleymane Hafia21 2nd Bwanga Tshimen TP Mazembe16 3rd Petit Sory Hafia141973 1st Bwanga Tshimen TP Mazembe49 2nd Kazadi Mwamba TP Mazembe44 3rd Laurent Pokou ASEC Abidjan411974 1st Paul Moukila CARA Brazzaville57 2nd Lobilo Boba Vita Club32 3rd Hassan Shehata Zamalek281975 1st Ahmed Faras Mohammédia28 2nd Roger Milla Tonnerre Yaoundé24 Mamadou Aliou Kéïta Hafia1976 1st Roger Milla Tonnerre Yaoundé33 2nd Papa Camara Hafia32 3rd Ali Bencheikh MC Alger271977 1st Tarak Dhiab Espérance Tunis45 2nd Papa Camara Hafia33 3rd Segun Odegbami Shooting Stars291978 1st Karim Abdul Razak Asante Kotoko58 2nd Ali Bencheikh MC Alger33 3rd Thomas N'Kono Canon Yaoundé291979 1st Thomas N'Kono Canon Yaoundé55 2nd Adolf Armah Hearts of Oak23 3rd Kerfalla Bangoura Horoya151980 1st Jean Manga-Onguéné Canon Yaoundé64 2nd Segun Odegbami Shooting Stars41 3rd Théophile Abega Canon Yaoundé181981 1st Lakhdar Belloumi GC Mascara78 2nd Thomas N'Kono Canon Yaoundé54 3rd Ali Fergani JS Kabylie261982 1st Thomas N'Kono Espanyol83 2nd Salah Assad Mulhouse54 3rd Lakhdar Belloumi GC Mascara361983 1st Mahmoud El Khatib Al Ahly98 2nd Opoku Nti Asante Kotoko89 3rd Rafiou Moutairou OC Agaza191984 1st Théophile Abega Toulouse124 2nd Joseph-Antoine Bell Al Mokawloon Al Arab65 Ibrahim Youssef Zamalek1985 1st Mohamed Timoumi AS FAR113 2nd Rabah Madjer Porto45 3rd Ibrahim Youssef Zamalek391986 1st Ezzaki Badou Mallorca125 2nd Aziz Bouderbala Sion88 3rd Roger Milla Montpellier801987 1st Rabah Madjer Porto130 2nd Youssouf Falikou Fofana Monaco63 3rd François Omam-Biyik Laval521988 1st Kalusha Bwalya Cercle Brugge111 2nd Roger Milla Montpellier68 3rd Youssouf Falikou Fofana Monaco401989 1st George Weah Monaco133 2nd Joseph-Antoine Bell Bordeaux105 3rd Kalusha Bwalya PSV491990 1st Roger Milla Saint-Pierroise209 2nd Tahar Chérif El-Ouazzani Aydınspor64 3rd Rabah Madjer Porto60 François Omam-Biyik Rennes1991 1st Abedi Pele Marseille152 2nd George Weah Monaco106 3rd François Omam-Biyik Cannes521992 1st Abedi Pele Marseille198 2nd George Weah Paris Saint-Germain161 3rd Tony Yeboah Eintracht Frankfurt641993 1st Abedi Pele Marseille119 2nd Tony Yeboah Eintracht Frankfurt117 3rd Rashidi Yekini Vitória de Setúbal1041994 1st George Weah Paris Saint-Germain148 2nd Emmanuel Amunike Sporting CP133 3rd Daniel Amokachi Everton99

Afrique Football award (Etoile d'Or) (1991–2003) YearRankPlayerTeamPoints19911st Abedi Pele Marseille2062nd George Weah Monaco1463rd Nii Lamptey Anderlecht6819921st Abedi Pele Marseille1922nd George Weah Paris Saint-Germain1673rd Alain Gouaméné Raja CA6019931st Rashidi Yekini Vitória de Setúbal1522nd Abedi Pele Marseille1183rd Tony Yeboah Eintracht Frankfurt9819941st Emmanuel Amunike Sporting CP1782nd George Weah Paris Saint-Germain1143rd Daniel Amokachi Everton9719951st George Weah Milan–19961st Nwankwo Kanu Internazionale–19971st Victor Ikpeba Monaco–19981st Mustapha Hadji Deportivo La Coruña–2nd Jay-Jay Okocha Paris Saint-Germain–3rd Sunday Oliseh Ajax–19991st Nwankwo Kanu Arsenal–20001st Patrick Mboma Parma–20011st El Hadji Diouf Lens–20021st El Hadji Diouf Liverpool1862nd Papa Bouba Diop Lens643rd Samuel Eto'o Mallorca3920031st Samuel Eto'o Mallorca1692nd Didier Drogba Marseille683rd Jay-Jay Okocha Bolton Wanderers51

CAF award (1992–present)

YearRankPlayerTeamPoints1992 1st Abedi Pele Marseille–19931st Rashidi Yekini Vitória de Setúbal–1994 1st Emmanuel Amunike Sporting CP48 2nd George Weah Paris Saint-Germain44 Rashidi Yekini Olympiacos1995 1st George Weah Milan– 2nd Emmanuel Amunike Sporting CP– 3rd Daniel Amokachi Everton–1996 1st Nwankwo Kanu Internazionale– 2nd George Weah Milan– 3rd Daniel Amokachi Beşiktaş–1997 1st Victor Ikpeba Monaco56 2nd Japhet N'Doram Monaco40 3rd Taribo West Internazionale351998 1st Mustapha Hadji Deportivo La Coruña76 2nd Jay-Jay Okocha Paris Saint-Germain74 3rd Sunday Oliseh Ajax581999 1st Nwankwo Kanu Arsenal46 2nd Samuel Kuffour Bayern Munich44 3rd Ibrahima Bakayoko Marseille422000 1st Patrick Mboma Parma123 2nd Lauren Mallorca36 3rd Samuel Eto'o Mallorca292001 1st El Hadji Diouf Lens93 2nd Samuel Kuffour Bayern Munich66 3rd Samuel Eto'o Mallorca342002 1st El Hadji Diouf Liverpool93 2nd Papa Bouba Diop Lens46 3rd Ahmed Hossam Mido Ajax422003 1st Samuel Eto'o Mallorca– 2nd Didier Drogba Marseille– 3rd Jay-Jay Okocha Bolton Wanderers–2004 1st Samuel Eto'o Barcelona116 2nd Didier Drogba Chelsea90 3rd Jay-Jay Okocha Bolton Wanderers682005 1st Samuel Eto'o Barcelona108 2nd Didier Drogba Chelsea106 3rd Michael Essien Chelsea502006 1st Didier Drogba Chelsea79 2nd Samuel Eto'o Barcelona76 3rd Michael Essien Chelsea362007 1st Frédéric Kanouté Sevilla– 2nd Michael Essien Chelsea– 3rd Didier Drogba Chelsea–2008 1st Emmanuel Adebayor Arsenal74 2nd Mohamed Abou Trika Al Ahly53 3rd Michael Essien Chelsea362009 1st Didier Drogba Chelsea92 2nd Samuel Eto'o Internazionale69 3rd Michael Essien Chelsea432010 1st Samuel Eto'o Internazionale– 2nd Asamoah Gyan Sunderland– 3rd Didier Drogba Chelsea–2011 1st Yaya Touré Manchester City– 2nd Seydou Keita Barcelona– 3rd André Ayew Marseille–2012 1st Yaya Touré Manchester City– 2nd Didier Drogba Shanghai Shenhua– 3rd Alex Song Barcelona–2013 1st Yaya Touré Manchester City373 2nd Mikel John Obi Chelsea265 3rd Didier Drogba Galatasaray2362014 1st Yaya Touré Manchester City175 2nd Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Borussia Dortmund120 3rd Vincent Enyeama Lille1052015 1st Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Borussia Dortmund143 2nd Yaya Touré Manchester City136 3rd André Ayew Swansea City1122016 1st Riyad Mahrez Leicester City361 2nd Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Borussia Dortmund313 3rd Sadio Mané Liverpool1862017 1st Mohamed Salah Liverpool625 2nd Sadio Mané Liverpool507 3rd Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Borussia Dortmund3112018 1st Mohamed Salah Liverpool567 2nd Sadio Mané Liverpool440 3rd Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Arsenal1972019 1st Sadio Mané Liverpool477 2nd Mohamed Salah Liverpool325 3rd Riyad Mahrez Manchester City2672022 1st Sadio Mané Bayern Munich– 2nd Mohamed Salah Liverpool– 3rd Édouard Mendy Chelsea–2023 1st Victor Osimhen Napoli– 2nd Achraf Hakimi Paris Saint-Germain– 3rd Mohamed Salah Liverpool–2024 1st Ademola Lookman Atalanta– 2nd Achraf Hakimi Paris Saint-Germain– 3rd Serhou Guirassy Borussia Dortmund–2025 1st Achraf Hakimi Paris Saint-Germain533 2nd Mohamed Salah Liverpool317 3rd Victor Osimhen Galatasaray240

Multiple winners * Players in bold are currently active Player WinnerRunner-upThird place Samuel Eto'o422 Yaya Touré410 George Weah340 Abedi Pele300 Didier Drogba243 Mohamed Salah231 Roger Milla221 Sadio Mané221 Thomas N'Kono211 Nwankwo Kanu200 El Hadji Diouf200

Awards won by nationality NationWinnersRunners-upThird places 118 10 7 6 10 6 87 6 7 6 5 3 0 4 3 2 3 4 53 5 5 3 4 0 2 1 0 1 3 3 1 3 0 1 2 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

Awards won by club ClubWinnersRunners-upThird placesPlayers Liverpool442 (2), , (2), (2), Manchester City411 (4) Marseille312 (3), Chelsea246 (2) (2), , (4), (2) Paris Saint-Germain24–, , , (2) Monaco231, , , Barcelona221 (2), Asante Kotoko22–, , Canon Yaoundé213, , , Mallorca212, (2) Internazionale211, Arsenal2–1, Hafia122 (2), Borussia Dortmund122 (2), Bayern Munich12– (2) TP Mazembe12–, Porto111 Al Ahly110 Tonnerre Yaoundé11– Lens11– Milan11– Sporting CP11– GC Mascara1–1 Cercle Brugge1–– CARA Brazzaville1–– Leicester City1–– Saint-Étienne1–– Toulouse1–– Parma1–– AS FAR1–– SCC Mohammédia1–– Vitória de Setúbal1–– JS Saint-Pierroise1–– Deportivo La Coruña1–– Espanyol1–– Sevilla1–– ES Tunis1–– Napoli1–– Atalanta1–– MC Alger–11 ASEC Mimosas–11 Montpellier–11 Eintracht Frankfurt–11 Shooting Stars–11 Shanghai Shenhua–1– Vita Club–1– Al Mokawloon Al Arab–1– Sunderland–1– Bordeaux–1– FC Mulhouse–1– Hearts of Oak–1– FC Sion–1– Aydınspor–1– Zamalek–12 Bolton Wanderers––2 Everton––2 Ajax––2 JS Kabylie––1 Ismaily––1 Cannes––1 Stade Lavallois––1 Lille––1 Rennes––1 Olympiacos––1 Horoya AC––1 PSV Eindhoven––1 OC Agaza––1 Beşiktaş––1 Galatasaray––2 Swansea City––1

See also

African Women's Footballer of the Year BBC African Footballer of the Year CAF Awards List of sport awards

References