African Footballer of the Year

The African Footballer of the Year award is the Confederation of African Football's annual award for the best African footballer, conferred since 1992 and part of the CAF Awards ceremony since 2000. ¹

It was preceded by the African Golden Ball of France Football magazine, given from 1970 to 1994 and first won by Salif Keïta in 1970, with Ahmed Faras the first Moroccan winner in 1975 and Mahmoud El Khatib the first Egyptian in 1983; the magazine discontinued it in 1995 after opening its European Ballon d'Or to all players in European leagues. ¹ The magazine Afrique Football gave a parallel award from 1991 to 2003. ¹

Samuel Eto'o and Yaya Touré have won it four times each, and Didier Drogba twice with four runner-up finishes. ¹ Mohamed Salah won it twice in a row, in 2017 and 2018, as a Liverpool player, finished second in 2019, 2022 and 2025 and third in 2023; the 2025 winner was Achraf Hakimi. ¹ European-born winners include Frédéric Kanouté, Riyad Mahrez, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ademola Lookman and Hakimi. ¹

The award continues within CAF's annual awards ceremony. ¹

• English Wikipedia article on the award, revision of 21 September 2026. ¹