African Footballer of the Year


The African Footballer of the Year award, presented to the best African footballer each year, has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football since 1992. An earlier African Footballer of the Year Golden Ball award was given out between 1970 and 1994 by France Football magazine. The changes resulted in parallel Golden Ball awards given out to Abedi Pele and George Weah in 1993 and 1994 by the magazine although the CAF sponsored awards for those years were won respectively by Rashidi Yekini and Emmanuel Amuneke, as well as two awards given to Abedi Pele in 1992. France Football discontinued the election from 1995 after the European Ballon d'Or – also awarded by the magazine – had been opened to all players in the European leagues.
Samuel Eto'o and Yaya Touré are the players who have won the award the most times ; Frédéric Kanouté who was named the 2007 African Footballer of the Year was born in France and is the first European-born player to win the award.

Winners

France Football award (1970–1994)

The award by France Football magazine was awarded to the best African footballer between 1970 and 1994. The award was discontinued in 1995 after the European Footballer of the Year was opened to players of non-European nationality, the award being given to George Weah that year. It had already been replaced by an official award given out by the Confederation of African Football since 1992.
, winner of the award in 1977.
, won the award three consecutive times from 1991-1993 and also won both France Football award and new CAF award in 1992.

CAF award (1992–present)

Multiple winners

* Players in bold are currently active
PlayerWinnerRunner-upThird place
Samuel Eto'o422
Yaya Touré410
George Weah340
Abedi Pele300
Didier Drogba243
Roger Milla221
Mohamed Salah210
Nwankwo Kanu200
El Hadji Diouf200

Awards won by nationality

Awards won by club