Kuffour, Essien & Appiah Make CAF shortlist

Samuel Osei Kuffour (Bayern Munich, Germany), Stephen Appiah (Juventus, Italy), and Michael Essien -pictured (Lyon, France) have been nominated for the Confederation of African Football's 2003 Player of the Year award.

No Ghanaian has won the award since Abedi Pele last completed a hat trick of titles in 1993. But Kuffour has close twice in 1999 and 2001, emerging second on both occasions.

Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o, who plays for Real Mallorca in the Spanish La Liga, is tipped to succeed Senegal's El Hadji Diouf as holder of the crown. He has established himself as Mallorca's top striker and also had a brilliant Confederations Cup in France last summer, helping Cameroon to reach the final.

Diouf and his two runners-up from last year - Ahmed Mido Hossam of Egypt and Senegal's Pape Bouba Diop - failed to make the shortlist.

Tarek El Taeb of Libya is the only African-based player to be nominated by the Caf media and technical committees.

The midfielder was honoured for his performances during Libya's Nations Cup qualifying campaign.

The identity of the winner will be revealed at the Caf annual awards ceremony early next year.

Shortlist:

Burkina Faso: Moumouni Dagano (Guingamp, France)

Cameroon: Samuel Eto'o (Real Mallorca, Spain), Geremi Njitap (Chelsea, England)

Ivory Coast: Didier Drogba (Marseille, France), Aruna Dindane (Anderlecht, Belgium), Kolo Toure (Arsenal, England)

Egypt: Ahmed Hassan (Besiktas, Turkey)

Ghana: Samuel Osei Kuffour (Bayern Munich, Germany), Stephen Appiah (Juventus, Italy), Michael Essien (Lyon, France)

Guinea: Dianbobo Balde (Celtic, Scotland)
Libya: Tarek El Taeb (Sfax, Libya)
Mali: Mahamadou Diarra (Lyon, France)
Morocco: Naybet Noureddine ( Deportivo la Coruna, Spain), Jaoud Zairi (Sochaux, France)
Nigeria: Jay Jay Okocha (Bolton, England), Obafemi Martins (Inter Milan, Italy), Yakubu Ayegbeni (Portsmouth, England)
Sierra Leone: Paul Kpaka (Genk, Belgium)
South Africa: Stephan Pinnear (Ajax, Holland)
Tunisia: Hatem Trabelsi (Ajax, Holland)
Zimbabwe: Peter Ndlovu (Sheffield United, England)