Olunga makes African Player of the Year shortlist
What you need to know:
- The Girona forward made the 30-man shortlist for the Caf African Player of the Year award, released by the continental body Wednesday evening.
- The Awards Gala will be held on January 4 next year in Accra, Ghana.
Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga has been listed among the best performing African footballers in 2017.
The Girona forward made the 30-man shortlist for the Caf African Player of the Year award, released by the continental body Wednesday evening.
The lanky Olunga is the only Kenyan who made the shortlist, joining the decorated company of star names such as Sadio Mane (Senegal and Liverpool), Mohammed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool), Denis Onyango (Uganda and Mamelodi Sundowns), Eric Bailly (Cote d'Ivoire and Manchester United) and Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon).
The nomination highlights a major milestone both for Olunga and Kenya.
Unlike Victor Wanyama, McDonald Mariga and Dennis Oliech, Olunga is a home grown player, having received his football education at Liberty Sports Academy, Tusker, Thika United and Gor Mahia between 2012 and 2015. This, thus, highlights best the capability and potential of football in Kenya.
"I am not surprised at all by this achievement because the boy has consistently shown his capability with the national team. In fact I expect greater things from him because he has not shown even half of his potential," former Harambee Stars coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee, who nurtured Olunga at Liberty Sports Academy, told Nation Sport.
Interestingly, Olunga's efforts have been recognised by Caf despite a difficult campaign, in which he has struggled initially at Chinese club Guizhou Zhicheng, and later on at Girona in Spain.
This in comparison to last year when he enjoyed a stellar campaign in Sweden at top side IF Djurgardens.
However, the player who was raised in the sprawling Lucky Summer suburb in Nairobi, has been on song while donning the national team jersey, scoring at least a goal every other game in the international friendlies and 2019 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers.
The eventual winner of this award will be decided via votes from the head coaches/technical directors of the National Associations affiliated to Caf, plus members of the Caf Technical and Developmental Committee and a panel of Media Experts.
The Awards Gala will be held on January 4 next year in Accra, Ghana.
African Player of the Year: 1. Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly) 2. Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Lyon) 3. Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal) 4. Christian Atsu (Ghana & Newcastle) 5. Christian Bassogog (Cameroon & Henan Jianye) 6. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns) 7. Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United) 8. Essam El Hadary (Egypt & Al Taawoun) 9. Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon & Sevilla) 10. Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco) 11. Jean Michel Seri (Cote d’Ivoire & Nice) 12. Junior Kabananga (DR Congo & Astana) 13. Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord) 14. Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco) 15. Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor).
Others are; 16. Mbwana Samata (Tanzania & Genk) 17. Michael Olunga (Kenya & Girona) 18. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool) 19. Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto) 20. Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig) 21. Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns) 22. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund) 23. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool) 24. Thomas Partey (Ghana & Atletico Madrid) 25. Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea) 26. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto) 27. William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria & Bursaspor) 28. Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto) 29. Youssef Msakni (Tunisia & Al Duhail) 30. Yves Bissouma (Mali & Lille).
