A preliminary list of 34 African players, who are nominees for the 2012 CAF African Footballer of the Year, has been released. And it features three Nigerians – Victor Moses and John Mikel Obi (Chelsea) and John Utaka (Montpellier). Mikel Obi, featured prominently, as the Blues won the Champions League and the FA Cup, while John Utaka, was part of the Montpellier team that beat high spending PSG to the Ligue 1 title. Moses was a key player, as Wigan Athletic avoided relegation last season, before linking up with Mikel at Stamford
Bridge. According to CAF’s website: “The GLO-CAF Awards Gala 2012 will be held in Accra, Ghana at the Banquet Hall, State House on December 20th.
“This year has seen three players make it on both lists. Zambia duo of Rainford Kalaba and Stoppila Sunzu from club side TP Mazembe join Tunisian, Youssef Msakni from club side Esperance on the African Footballer of the Year list which is largely dominated by African players playing club football outside the continent.
“The selection was based on performances for club and country. CAF will announce the top ten nominees for the African Footballer of the Year and the top five African footballer of the Year (based in Africa) by late October after the voting by CAF relevant Standing Committees, namely the Media, Technical and Football committees.
“The names of the respective ten and five finalists will be sent to National Association head coaches and secretary generals to select the top three.
See the full list of African footballers nominated for CAF African Footballer of the Year 2012
1.Abdelaziz Barrada - Getafe (Spain) and Morocco11.Demba Ba - Newcastle United (England) and Senegal
2.Adel Taarabt - Queens Park Rangers (England) and Morocco
3.Alain Sibiri Traore - Lorient (France) and Burkina Faso
4.Alexander Song - Barcelona (Spain) and Cameroon
5.Andre 'Dede' Ayew - Marseille (France) and Ghana
6.Arouna Kone - Wigan (England) and Ivory Coast
7.Aymen Abdennour - Toulouse (France) and Tunisia
8.Bakaye Traore - AC Milan (Italy) and Mali
9.Cheick Tiote - Newcastle United (England) and Ivory Coast
10.Christopher Katongo - Henan Construction (China) and Zambia
12.Didier Drogba - Shanghai Shenhua (China) and Ivory Coast
13.Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu - Udinese (Italy) and Ghana
14.Emmanuel Mayuka - Southampton (England) and Zambia
15.Foxi Kethevoama - FC Astana (Kazakhstan) and Central African Republic
16.Gervinho - Arsenal (England) and Ivory Coast
17.Hilaire Momi - Le Mans (France) and Central African Republic
18.John Obi Mikel - Chelsea (England) and Nigeria
19.John Utaka - Montpellier (France) and Nigeria
20.Kwadwo Asamoah - Juventus (Italy) and Ghana
21.Moussa Sow - Fenerbahce (Turkey) and Senegal
22.Nicolas N'koulou - Marseille (France) and Cameroon
23.Papiss Demba Cisse - Newcastle United (England) and Senegal
24.Pape Moussa Konate - FC Krasnodar (Russia) and Senegal
25.Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - St Etienne (France) and Gabon
26.Rainford Kalaba - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Zambia
27.Seydou Doumbia - CSKA Moscow (Russia) and Ivory Coast
28.Seydou Keita - Dalian Aerbin (China) and Mali
29.Sofiane Feghouli - Valencia (Spain) and Algeria
30.Stoppila Sunzu - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Zambia
31.Victor Moses - Chelsea (England) and Nigeria
32.Yaya Toure - Manchester City (England) and Ivory Coast
33.Younes Belhanda - Montpellier (France) and Morocco
34.Youssef Msakni - Esperance (Tunisia) and Tunisia