CAF African Player of the Year: 10 nominees revealed with Yan Diomande missing, three names spark debate

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) connected Wednesday revealed its database of 10 nominees for the 2026 African Ballon d’Or. It is simply a prestigious selection, but respective choices rise eyebrows.

Three Moroccans, 3 Senegalese and nary motion of Ibrahim Maza oregon Yan Diomande: the database of 10 candidates for the 2026 African Player of the Year grant volition substance plentifulness of discussion.

Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, Ismael Saibari, Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Pape Gueye, Amad Diallo, Yoane Wissa, Antoine Semenyo and Teboho Mokoena person been selected by the Confederation of African Football.

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Hakimi favourite for 2026 African Ballon d’Or with Senegalese ballot acceptable to split

The reigning champion, Achraf Hakimi, was crowned successful 2025 up of Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen. The Morocco skipper has beardown arguments to triumph a 2nd consecutive award, fixed his performances with Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco’s tally astatine the World Cup.

He would go the archetypal subordinate to clasp the grant since Mohamed Salah successful 2018 and the archetypal Moroccan to triumph it twice. Ismael Saibari, who has had a peculiarly accomplished year, is the different Moroccan candidate, portion Brahim Diaz completes Morocco’s beardown representation.

The 3 Senegalese players could crook into a handicap for their country. Sadio Mane remains the astir prestigious name, portion Ismaila Sarr, superb successful the Conference League with Crystal Palace, and Pape Gueye person played a portion successful Senegal’s fantabulous year. They hazard splitting the votes, whereas Hakimi appears the astir evident Moroccan candidate.

Maza and Diomande victims of the younker category?

The absences of Ibrahim Maza and Yan Diomande are surprising, peculiarly fixed immoderate of the names selected. Both are among the candidates for the African Young Player of the Year award.

Maza has established himself astatine Bayer Leverkusen and with Algeria, portion Diomande, who became the astir costly African subordinate successful past successful the summertime transportation window, has stepped up a level astatine RB Leipzig, Real Madrid and with the Ivory Coast nationalist team.

Their younker does thing to diminish the worth of their performances: property should beryllium neither an vantage nor a ceiling. They finished ninth and 5th respectively successful the 2026 Kopa Trophy.

The inclusion of Amad Diallo, contempt his qualities and increasing value astatine Manchester United, appears questionable astatine the disbursal of Diomande.

The selections of Yoane Wissa and particularly Teboho Mokoena tin besides beryllium debated. The South African from Mamelodi Sundowns remains a notation connected the continent, but his twelvemonth appears little striking individually than those of respective players near out.

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha could besides person laid assertion to a spot aft accompanying his country’s historical run. The CAF selected lone outfield players, leaving Cape Verde without a typical contempt an exceptional year. Even earlier the database is reduced to 3 finalists and the CAF Awards ceremonial connected 7 December successful Lagos, Nigeria, the archetypal enactment has already produced immoderate large losers.