African Player of the Year award winners: All-time list of male and female soccer stars to win CAF prize

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will crown the men’s and women’s African Player of the Year for 2024 on Monday, December 16.

The shortlist for the men’s prize caused controversy when it was unveiled in October, with Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah and Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface each missing out on a nomination.

Despite excelling for their clubs, Salah and Boniface failed to make an impression at the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of the year. Boniface missed out on Nigeria’s run to the final through injury, while Salah suffered a hamstring setback before Egypt bowed out in the Round of 16.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Simon Adingra is nominated after setting up both goals in the Ivory Coast’s final victory, while Nigeria winger and Ballon d’Or nominee Ademola Lookman is also in the running. It remains to be seen how much Lookman’s Europa League final hat-trick for Atalanta will influence proceedings given the circumstances of Salah and Boniface’s omissions.

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Salah is a two-time winner of the prize, while Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala is a record six-time winner of the women’s award. The former Barcelona star, now plying her trade at Bay FC, has won the past three editions but like Salah has not made the shortlist this time around. Sisters Tanitha and Temwa Chawinga are both in the running.

As we prepare to see a new name lift each trophy, here’s a rundown of every winner of the coveted men’s and women’s CAF awards.

African Player of the Year — All-time men’s winners

Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Toure are locked at the top of the all-time standings with four wins apiece. Salah will have to wait at least another year to close the gap and move on to three

His former Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane is one of four other players with two successes, alongside Didier Drogba, Nwankwo Kanu and El Hadji Diouf.

The below table lists the winners since CAF began awarding the prize in 1992 (it was previously an award given by France Football).

African Player of the Year — All-time women’s winners

Oshoala’s six successes picked up the baton from four-time winner and compatriot Perpetua Nkwocha.

Another Nigerian, Cynthia Uwak is the only other multiple winner following successes in 2006 and 2007. Chiamaka Nnadozie is in the running to keep this dominance going in 2024.