Uganda Cranes stars Denis Onyango, Geoffrey Serunkuma nominated for African player of the year

By our reporter

The Confederation of African Football has revealed its 30-man shortlists for the African Player of the Year and Africa-Based Player of the Year.

Two Uganda Cranes players Denis Onyango and Geoffrey Serunkuma have been nominated for African Player of the Year and African Player of the year –Based in Africa 2017.

Onyango, the Uganda Cranes team captain who also plays for South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns is nominated in both categories whereas KCCA’s Sserunkuma is nominated for African Player of the year –Based in Africa 2017.

Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who won in 2015, features along with a host of Europe-based stars, such as Sadio Mane of Senegal who came third in 2016.

2016 winner Riyad Mahrez of Algeria is a notable absentee from the main list.

All but seven of the nominees play for European clubs, with Egypt’s Essam El Hadary on the list at the age of 44.

The veteran goalkeeper plays his club football in Saudi Arabia for Al-Taawoun.

Mahrez, meanwhile, has largely failed to produce the quality of football that he displayed last year when playing a key role in driving Leicester to the Premier League’s most unlikely title triumph.

Four players make both the best Africa Player and best Africa-Based Player shortlists.

They are Tunisia’s Ali Maaloul (Al Ahly), South Africa’s Percy Tau, Uganda goalkeeper Dennis Onyango (both Mamelodi Sundowns) and Zambia’s Fackson Kapumbu (Zesco United).

The respective winners will be announced in the Ghanaian capital Accra on 4 January 2018.

Votes from a combination of head coaches and technical directors from national teams, as well as members of Caf’s Technical and Development Committee and a panel of media experts will determine the winners.

African Player of the Year:

Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto), Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord), Christian Atsu (Ghana & Newcastle), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund), Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United), Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal), Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco), Christian Bassogog (Cameroon & Henan Jianye), Yves Bissouma (Mali & Lille), Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor), Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto), Essam El Hadary (Egypt & Al Taawoun), Junior Kabananga (DR Congo & Astana), Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco), Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig), Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly), Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool), Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto), Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea), Youssef Msakni (Tunisia & Al Duhail), Michael Olunga (Kenya & Girona), Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon & Sevilla), Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns), Thomas Partey (Ghana & Atletico Madrid), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool), Mbwana Samata (Tanzania & Genk), Jean Michel Seri (Cote d’Ivoire & Nice), Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns), Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Lyon), William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria & Bursaspor)

African Player of the Year – Based in Africa:

Nasr Eldin Ahmed (Sudan & Hilal Obeid), Junior Ajayi (Nigeria & Al Ahly), Karim Aouadhi (Tunisia & CS Sfaxien), Aristide Bance (Burkina Faso & Al Masry), Alkhaly Bangoura (Guinea & Etoile du Sahel), Achraf Bencharki (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club), Jeremy Brockie (New Zealand & Supersport), Fawzi Chaouchi (Algeria & MC Alger), Oussama Darfalou (Algeria & USM Alger), Muaid Ellafi (Libya & Ahly Tripoli), Tady Etekiama (DR Congo & AS Vita), Ahmed Fathi (Egypt & Al Ahly), Dean Furman (South Africa & Supersport United), Sylvain Gbohouo (Cote d’Ivoire & TP Mazembe), Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek), Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco), Saber Khalifa (Tunisia & Club Africain), Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance), Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly), Ayman Majid (Morocco & FUS Rabat), Ben Malango (DR Congo & TP Mazembe), Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel), Mohamed Meftah (Algeria & USM Alger), Sabelo Ndzinisa (Swaziland & Mbabane Swallows), Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns), Mohamed Ounnajem (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club), Elsamani Saadeldin (Sudan & Al Merreikh), Saladin Said (Ethiopia & Saint George), Geoffrey Serunkuma (Uganda & KCCA), Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns).