Who was Africa’s best footballer of the year? This question will be answered soon. Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy is in the running for the title. Other prominent names, on the other hand, are missing.
On Monday evening, the African association announced the five remaining candidates for the African Footballer of the Year award. In addition to Dortmund’s Guirassy, the list includes defender Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris St. Germain), Europa League winner Ademola Lookman (Nigeria/Atalanta Bergamo), goalkeeper Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns) and Ivorian winger Simon Adingra (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Lookman, who scored 11 times for Atalanta in the league last season and has already scored six times in Serie A this year, is considered the favorite. The striker made the biggest impression in the Europa League final,
But Guirassy also has a few arguments on his side. The 28-year-old scored a whopping 28 Bundesliga goals for VfB Stuttgart last season, putting him on the radar of a number of clubs. In the summer, Dortmund won the bidding war and the striker has hit the ground running, scoring six times in eight Bundesliga appearances.
Salah not included
But there are also some big names missing from the list. Among those not nominated are last year’s winner Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray Istanbul), Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface (Nigeria) and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool FC in Egypt. The trophy for both men and women will be awarded on December 16 in Marrakech, Morocco.