Mane, Aubameyang, Salah: Contenders for CAF best footballer of 2017

Africa’s football governing body, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Monday unveiled the shortlist for categories of its annual awards gala.

CAF president, Ahmad Ahmad, was joined by other top administrators in the Ghana capital Accra for the event dubbed the ‘AITEO CAF AWARDS 2017.’

The standout category which is the African player of the year award will be contested between Sadio Mane of Senegal and Liverpool, Gabon’s Pierre Emerick Aubameyang who plays for Dortmund and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah who plies his club trade with Liverpool.

The winner will take over the crown from Algeria and Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez who last won the gong earlier this year in Abuja, Nigeria.

The awards Gala is slated for the 4th of January next year in Accra. It will be the first gala without long serving CAF president Issa Hayatou who was beaten by Ahmad Ahmad in polls earlier this year.

Below are the other award categories and their respective nominees listed in alphabetical order.

Women’s Player of the Year

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dalian Quanjian) Chrestina Kgatlana (South Africa & UWC Ladies) Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene(Cameroon & CSKA Moscow) ### Youth Player of the Year

Krepin Diatta (Senegal & Sarpsborg) Patson Daka (Zambia & Liefering) Salam Giddou (Mali & Guidars) ### Coach of the Year

Gernot Rohr (Nigeria) Hector Cuper (Egypt) L’Hussein Amoutta (Wydad Athletic Club) ### Club of the Year

Al Ahly TP Mazembe Wydad Athletic Club ### National Team of the Year

Cameroon Egypt Nigeria ### Women’s National Team of the Year

Ghana U-20 Nigeria U-20 South Africa