Reigning Player of the Year, Mohamed Salah, his Liverpool club-mate Sadio Mane and 2015 winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, have made the top three for the most prestigious individual accolade in African football.
A repeat of last year, the three players will be hoping to begin the year with the crown of Player of the Year for their exploits in 2018. The winner will be unveiled at the Awards Gala on 8 January 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.
Gabonese icon Aubameyang, maintains his familiar status amongst the top three finalists since 2014, thus five times in a row and equaling the record of Ivorian legend Yaya Toure and Ghanaian midfield supremo Michael Essien. Four-time Player of the Year, Toure, achieved the feat (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) and Essien (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009). The 29-year old will be hoping to lay his hands on the enviable crown a second time.
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Salah, 26, made history becoming the first Egyptian to be decorated Player of the Year since the inception of the awards scheme in 1992. It is the second time, he has made the final three and Salah has his eyes set on joining the elite league of players to win the honour back-to-back. Senegalese El Hadji Diouf (2001, 2002), Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon (2003, 2004) and Toure (2011, 2012) are the only three to win successive titles.
It is a hat-trick for 26-year old Mane in the top three, coming third in 2016 and second in 2017. He will be hoping to be third time lucky and become the second Senegalese to win the topmost individual honour after Diouf.
MiniTom
314
So Koulibaly wins Senegal POTY but doesn't even make it into the top 3 ahead of another Senegal player? Good logic
jpashraf
252
Salah is the best player PL now . He have scored 16 goals , 8 assist & complete 46key passes in 18/19 season. I think he should win the title of best player of africa of the year.He is in fire this year. He help liverpol to the top of their league & bear his tim to the UCL final...
VanishPrasad
228
Where's Koulibaly ... he beat Mane to become Senegal's best player so how come Mane is in the top three and Koulibaly isn't?
Cuybiknu
12
So Koulibaly wins Senegal POTY but doesn't even make it into the top 3 ahead of another Senegal player? Good logic
Salah was amongst the Best three players of the year, but was never among FIFA 11 it's not strange, cuz 2018 was full of wrong awards.