The event billed for the Palais des Congres in Marrakech will celebrate top-performing talents across various categories, recognising their contributions to African and global football.
The highlight of the CAF Awards is undoubtedly the African Player of the Year category, where Ademola Lookman, Simon Adingra, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, and Ronwen Williams are set to compete for the prestigious honour, aiming to succeed last year’s winner, Victor Osimhen.
Ahead of the CAF Awards, Flashscore delves into the remarkable careers of African football legends who lit up the game with their brilliance and remarkable achievements but never managed to secure the coveted CAF Player of the Year Award.
Finidi George (Nigeria)
Regarded as one of Africa's greatest wingers, Finidi enjoyed a stellar football career, highlighted by his UEFA Champions League triumph with Ajax in 1995.
His exceptional talent attracted interest from global powerhouses like Real Madrid and Barcelona, and the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) ranked him as the 10th best African player of the 20th century.
Despite his remarkable achievements and brilliance on the pitch, he never won, nor was he even nominated for, the CAF African Player of the Year award - a glaring omission that remains a puzzling footnote in African football history.
Ahmed Hassan (Egypt)
Hassan, one of Africa's most decorated players, remains the world’s most-capped male footballer with an incredible 184 appearances for Egypt. A four-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champion, Hassan was a pivotal figure in Egypt’s dominance of the tournament, winning in 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010.
His unparalleled achievements, his legendary consistency and his leadership have not yet been matched, making him one of the most iconic figures in African football history.
Michael Essien (Ghana)
Essien, one of Ghana's football icons, shares the record for the most consecutive nominations for the CAF African Player of the Year award, with five nominations, alongside Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure.
Despite his impressive career, including winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea, Essien never claimed the top honour though; each time, he finished in third place, cementing his reputation as one of the unluckiest players in the history of the award.
Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)
Aboutrika, one of Egypt’s finest-ever players, had a glittering career, winning four African Inter-Club Player of the Year titles - a record. Despite his immense success, including stellar performances with Al Ahly and Egypt, the prestigious CAF African Player of the Year award eluded him.
His most frustrating year came in 2008, when he was beaten to the top prize by Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor, despite his exceptional form, which included leading Egypt to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Benni McCarthy (South Africa)
One of the few Africans to have won the Champions League, the prolific striker was the standout performer at the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations, where he claimed the top scorer’s award. He remains Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer.
Joseph-Antoine Bell (Cameroon)
Recognized by the IFFHS as Africa’s greatest goalkeeper of the 20th century, Bell was a standout figure in African football. Despite his remarkable career and contributions to Cameroon's success, including helping them win multiple African Cup of Nations titles, he was never crowned CAF African Player of the Year.
Bell came closest to winning the prestigious award when he finished as a runner-up twice, yet the accolade always eluded him. His legendary status as one of the continent's greatest shot-stoppers remains undeniable, even without the individual honour of being named Africa's best player.
Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria)
A dazzling talent, Okocha earned recognition as one of Africa’s finest playmakers. Known for his flair and creativity, he enjoyed successful spells at clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Bolton Wanderers, leaving a lasting legacy in European football.
Despite his heroics at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations especially, he was unable to secure Africa's biggest prize.
Samuel Kuffour (Ghana)
After impressive stints at Bayern Munich, he lost the crown to Kanu Nwankwo in 1999 and El Hadji Diouf in 2001. During his 12 years at Bayern, he made 250 appearances and won 17 trophies, earning a nomination for the 2001 Ballon d'Or.
Hossam Hassan (Egypt)
Hossam Hassan, Egypt’s all-time top scorer with 68 goals in 176 appearances, played a crucial role in the Pharaohs' Africa Cup of Nations triumphs in 1986, 1998, and 2006. Despite his remarkable consistency and pivotal performances in Egypt's golden era though, the prolific striker was never awarded the prestigious accolade.
His achievements remain underappreciated on the continental stage, as he was never considered for the award despite his immense contribution to both his club and country’s success.
Anthony Yeboah (Ghana)
He came close to winning the CAF African Player of the Year award but was beaten by his compatriot Abedi Pele twice. In 1993, he also finished ninth in the prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or, an honour claimed by Italy's Roberto Baggio that year.
Yeboah’s powerful performances for the Black Stars, combined with his remarkable club career, especially in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt, made him a household name.
Seydou Keita (Mali)
One of Mali's greatest footballers was narrowly beaten by Yaya Toure to the prestigious CAF African Player of the Year award in 2011.
Despite this setback, Keita enjoyed a stellar club career, particularly with Barcelona. During his time at the Catalan club, he won three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, three Supercopa de España titles, and two UEFA Champions League titles.
His remarkable success at both the club and international levels highlighted his importance in African and global football.
Segun Odegbami (Nigeria)
Known as "Mathematical," he is one of Nigeria's greatest footballers, ranking as the Super Eagles' second-highest scorer of all time, and was twice a runner-up for the CAF African Player of the Year award, finishing second in both 1977 and 1980.
A prolific goal scorer, he was also the second player - after Laurent Pokou - to win back-to-back AFCON top scorer awards.
