Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Liverpool Forward Mohamed Salah headline a 10-man shortlist nominated for the prestigious 2022 African Player of the Year Award sponsored by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The award ceremony is slated for July 21 in Rabat, Morocco.
Mendy was solid in both the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League matches leading Chelsea to a fourth-place finish and the quarter-finals of the two competitions respectively.
Chelsea also lost the FA Cup final to Liverpool on penalties.
Mendy was also instrumental in Senegal's AFCON triumph, saving a penalty in the final against multiple winners Egypt.
He was also the country's hero in the World Cup qualifiers, saving a crucial penalty in the final to ensure his country booked a spot in Qatar.
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Egyptian forward and last season's English Premier League golden boot winner, Mohamed Salah, is also eyeing the award.
Salah scored 23 goals to see Liverpool maintain pressure on English champions, Manchester City. Liverpool finished a point behind Man City, lost the UEFA Champions League final to Real Madrid but won the FA and Carabao Cups.
Bayern Munich's Senegalese forward, Sadio Mane and Manchester City's Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez were also shortlisted for the award.
Football pundits tip Mane to win the award ahead of former Liverpool teammate, Mohamed Salah and compatriot, Mendy.
Mane's scored two penalties to help Senegal clinch the AFCON title and qualify for the World Cup in matches against Egypt.
Senegalese legend Aliou Cisse, Carlos Queiroz, decorated South African tactician Pitso Mosimane, Tom Saintfiet, and Walid Regragui are in contention for the African Coach of the Year Award.
Cisse led the Lions of Teranga to their maiden AFCON title earlier this year. He also helped the West African side qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup scheduled to take place later this year.
According to CAF, the winners will be voted for by African national teams’ captains, coaches and media professionals.
“The winners of each category will be decided by a voting panel made up of CAF Technical Committee, media professionals, Head Coaches & Captains of Member Associations and clubs involved at the group stage of the Interclub competitions for the 2021/22 season,” read a statement from CAF.
2022 African Player of the Year Shortlist
Edouard Mendy (Senegal & Chelsea)
Sebastien Haller (Cote d’Ivoire & Ajax)
Naby Keita (Guinea & Liverpool)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
Karl Toko Ekambi (Cameroon & Olympique Lyonnais)
Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli)
Vincent Aboubacar (Cameroon & Al Nassr)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Paris Saint-Germain)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Bayern Munich)
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