Table of Contents
- The African Player of the Year award is given to the best African footballer in a calendar year
- The first winner of the prestigious individual honour was Abedi Pele in 1992
- Unfortunately, there are several elite African players who never won the award
The African Player of the Year is awarded to the best African footballer in a calendar year. The Confederation of African Football gives the award.
A panel of judges, national team coaches, the press and captains of the 54 CAF nations decide who deserves to win the CAF African Footballer of the Year.
Ademola Lookman is the latest winner of the prestigious award. The Nigeria international won the award in December 2024 after a stellar season with Atalanta.
Ademola Lookman. Photo/ Afrik-Foot.
Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Toure have the highest number of African Footballer of the Year awards. The legendary footballers won the award four times during their career days.
The first winner of the award was Abedi Pele in 1992. Other winners of the award include Riyad Mahrez, Didier Drogba, El Hadji Diouf and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. However, not every elite African footballer has been fortunate enough to win the award
This article will look at the top three African footballers who never won the award.
1. Jay Jay Okocha
Austin Azuka Okocha, commonly known as Jay-Jay Okocha, is one of the greatest African footballers of all time. The legendary attacking midfielder is ranked as the best footballer Nigeria has ever produced. Some fans might be surprised that Jay-Jay Okocha never won the African Footballer of the Year award.
Jay-Jay Okocha in action for Nigeria. He never won the African Player of the Year award. Photo/ Vanguard News.
Okocha spent the better part of his professional football career in Europe, playing for top clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers and Eintracht Frankfurt. He won numerous trophies with the clubs he played for. He was part of Paris Saint-Germain’s squad that won the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
The Nigerian footballer helped Bolton Wanderers survive relegation during the 2003-04 season. Okocha also helped the English club reach the finals of the EFL Cup in 2004, where they finished as runners-up.
Okocha was also a key player for the Nigerian national team. He represented the Super Eagles in three World Cups (1994, 1998 and 2002) and helped them win the 1994 AFCON. He never won the African Footballer of the Year award despite his amazing talent and success. He came close to winning the award in 1998, finishing behind Mustapha Hadji.
2. Michael Essien
Michael Essien is one of the best Ghanaian footballers of all time. The Ghanaian international is one of the most talented defensive midfielders to ever play the game.
Michael Essien. Photo/ Planet Football.
Essien joined Chelsea in 2005 and was a key player at the London club during his early career days. Essien left Chelsea after making 256 appearances and scoring 25 goals. He won nine major trophies with Chelsea during his nine years at the club.
Essien was also a key player for Ghana. He represented the Black Stars at international competitions between 2002 and 2014. He was part of Ghana’s squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup. The Ghanaian midfielder never won the African Footballer of the Year award during his prime days. He came close to winning the award in 2007 as he finished behind Frederic Kanoute, who was the winner.
3. John Obi Mikel
John Obi Mikel is another elite African footballer who never won the prestigious award. The former Chelsea man is one of the most decorated African footballers of all time. He was one of the best holding midfielders during his prime days.
Obi Mikel showed his amazing talent at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was the second-best player in the tournament behind Lionel Messi.
Mikel spent the majority of his career days at Chelsea, where he won 11 major trophies. The Nigerian international is among African footballers who have won the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League titles.
John Obi Mikel. Photo/ Daily Post Nigeria.
Obi Mikel also achieved success with the Nigerian national team. He was part of the Nigerian squad that won the 2013 AFCON tournament. Like the rest on this list, he never won the African Player of the Year despite his club and international success. He came close to winning the award in 2013 but finished as runner-up, behind Yaya Toure.
