8th Marc-Vivien Foe Award; Aurier, Warris, Enyeama among nominees

The Marc-Vivien Foe prize awarded to the best African Player in the french Ligue 1 would be held in May, but ahead of that event, the list of nominees have been released.

The list is dominated by 5 midfielders, two defenders are named, three forwards and the only goalkeeper being Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama.

Ivory Coast’s Serge Aurier, who was suspended by league champions Paris Saint Germain, following racist allegations he made against his colleagues is also listed along with Senegal’s Moustapha Bayal Sall of As Saint-Etienne.

Ghanaian Abdul Majeed Waris together with Cameroonian Benjamin Moukandjo – top African scorers in Ligue 1 with 12 goals – and Malian Cheick Diabaté are the listed forwards gunning for the award.

The nominees who are midfielders include Floyd Ayité (Togo / SC Bastia), Ryad Boudebouz (Algeria / Montpellier), Sofiane Boufal (Morocco / Lille), Rachid Ghezzal (Algeria / Olympique Lyonnais), Cheikh Ndoye (Senegal / SCO Angers).

About the Marc-Vivien Foe Award

Since 2009, the Marc-Vivien Foe prize has been awarded to the best African player playing in the Ligue 1. This award was created by RFI and now presented jointly with France 24 reward one of 110 African players who plays in France.

The 11-man shortlist was prepared by editors of Sports RFI and France 24. It will susbequently be submitted to a jury composed of 80 journalists at the end of the Ligue 1 season.

As in previous editions, the jury will choose three names and assign five points in the first, three in the second and third point. The player with the most points thus succeed André Ayew Ghanaian international who now plays in England.

Full list of nominees

Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria / Lille)

Defenders: Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast / PSG), Moustapha Bayal Sall (Senegal / As Saint-Etienne)

Midfielders: Floyd Ayité (Togo / SC Bastia), Ryad Boudebouz (Algeria / Montpellier), Sofiane Boufal (Morocco / Lille), Rachid Ghezzal (Algeria / Olympique Lyonnais), Cheikh Ndoye (Senegal / SCO Angers)

Forwards: Cheick Diabaté (Mali / Bordeaux), Benjamain Moukandjo (Cameroon / FC Lorient), Abdul Majeed Waris (Ghana / FC Lorient)