Uganda Cranes goalkeeper Denis Onyango is the only player playing in Africa remaining on the shortlist for the CAF African Player of the Year award from the initial 30-man list. This comes after the shot stopper attained the required votes from members of the CAF Technical & Development Committee, CAF Media Experts Panel and Independent Media and TV Consultants.
The Cranes captain is also in the race for the Player of the Year (Based in Africa) who also remained ten and our own veteran striker Geoffrey Sserunkuma did not survive the cut.
Onyango has more two stages(second and final phase that will cut the list down to three) to go through in order to claim any of the awards and this will involve voting from Head Coaches & Technical Directors of the National Associations, ten members from the Independent Media and TV Consultants and finally National Team Captains.
African Player of the Year
- Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Olympique Lyon)
- Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
- Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord)
- Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco)
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
- Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig)
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & B. Dortmund)
- Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
- Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea)
- Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto)
- Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto)
Player of the Year (Based in Africa)
- Achraf Bencharki (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
- Ahmed Fathi (Egypt & Al Ahly)
- Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
- Aristide Bance (Burkina Faso & El Masry)
- Ben Malango (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)
- Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
- Jeremy Brockie (New Zealand & Supersport)
- Junior Ajayi (Nigeria & Al Ahly)
- Mohamed Ounnajem (Morooco & Wydad Athletic Club)
- Taha Yassine Khenisssi (Tunisia & Esperance)