Country: Gabon
Club: Borussia Dortmund
The 26-year-old Gabonese striker has been in incredible form this year, with recent times in particular turning out to be a delight for the Dortmund attacker. He scored two hat-tricks in the space of a few days at the end of October, and has been scoring freely for most of the last year, including a goal at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for his country.
Country: Ghana
Club: Swansea City (previously with Marseille)
The incredibly talented Andre Ayew has made light work of adjusting to the English Premier League following a transfer to Swansea City from Marseille in France. The Ghana international scored five goals in the EPL by the end of October, including a strike on debut against Chelsea. He was the top scorer at the 2015 AFCON, where his side finished as runners up.
Country: Cote D’Ivoire
Club: Manchester City
Toure is a familiar name on this list, and has been named the African Player of the Year for the last four years in a row. The Manchester City midfielder is one of the best talents to emerge from Africa in the last decade, and continues to be a symbol for African success on the world sporting stage. He captained Cote D’Ivoire to the 2015 AFCON title, leading by example with excellent performances throughout the tournament.
Country: Tunisia
Club: Valencia
A central defender with excellent composure and the ability to read the game very well, Abdennour has been a consistent player for both club and country, contributing immensely to keeping the defensive line solid. He was an important element of the Tunisian national team’s run to the quarter-finals of the AFCON at the beginning of 2015.
Country: Egypt
Club: Roma (previously with Fiorentina)
The 23-year-old striker is a revelation in Egyptian football, announcing his talent to the world in the Italian Serie A with excellent performances at club level for Fiorentina and Roma. The youngster is composed and plays with experience beyond his years, and this has endeared him to Viola and Giallorossi fans, where he has been scoring frequently. He deserves his African Player of the Year nomination.
Country: Senegal
Club: Southampton
The Senegalese striker is another African player that is setting the Premier League alight with his skill and superb finishing. At 23, he is already establishing a name for himself at Southampton and with his national team, as an offensive midfielder or striker with determination and the ability to act on his will to score goals. He scored three goals in 11 appearances for the Saints by the end of October.
Country: Algeria
Club: Porto
A supremely gifted playmaker, the Algerian has been delighting Portuguese football fans at Porto with his exquisite play and pace. Fitting in to the Portuguese game very well, he has found success with the club, and at national team level he remains one of the most talented members of the Fennec Foxes. His many assists for Porto team-mates have made him a popular player, and at only 25 he still has many great years of professional football ahead of him.
Country: Cote D’Ivoire
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
The incredibly talented 22-year-old is the future of Ivorian football, but he is already making a mark on the sport at both club level, with Paris Saint-Germain where he has been one of the most used players, and with the national team, where he contributed defensively and in attack to secure the 2015 AFCON title in Equatorial Guinea. He is most certainly a player to watch in years to come, as he will develop into an even more valuable defender.
Country: Algeria
Club: Valencia
The Algerian creative midfielder continues to build his profile with the Spanish La Liga outfit, where he is trusted to provide fine performances in the local league and in UEFA Champions League action. The 25-year-old is another of the sparkling generation of Algerian footballers, and will have been disappointed by not progressing past the group stage at the 2015 AFCON earlier in the year. His African Player of the Year nod is deserved.
Country: Sudan
Club: El Hilal
A stand out performer for his club, El Hilal in the CAF Champions League this year, Mudather Eltaib Ibrahim has been exciting fans in his native Sudan, giving them a hero to support at club level and with the national team. The 2017 AFCON qualifiers has seen him find comfort in the Sudan national team, while his efforts in attack for El Hilal allowed them to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
