Essien, Bayor make FIFA shortlist

Accra, Oct 10, GNA - Ghana's talented midfielder, Michael Essien has been short-listed for the 2007 Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) 'World Player of the Year' award.

The Chelsea star is among three other African footballers who made a 30-strong shortlist for the award slated for Zurich on December 17. Cameroon strikers Samuel Eto'o and Ivorian Didier Drogba complete the Africans to have made the initial shortlist.

The trio were also on the original list for the 2006 award although none of them made the final shortlist of three.

Information pieced together by GNA Sports indicate that Black Queens' skipper, Adjoa Bayor also made the list in the women's category. The creative genius joins Nigerian duo Christie George and Perpetua Nkwocha as the three Africans on the list.

The list is drawn up by members of FIFA's Technical Committees and voted on by the coaches and captains of every national team. The winner will be announced at FIFA's World Player Gala in Zurich on December 17.

The following 26 women (in alphabetical order) are in contention for the title of FIFA Women's World Player of the Year 2007:
Nadine Angerer (Germany), Adjoa Bayor (Ghana), Cristiane (Brazil), Daniela (Brazil), Lisa de Vanna (Australia), Formiga (Brazil),Christie George (Nigeria), Ragnhild Gulbrandsen (Norway), Duan Han (China), Ariane Hingst (Germany), Jie Li (China), Kristine Lilly (USA), Renate Lingor (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria), Bente Nordby (Norway), Cathrine Paaske Sörensen (Denmark), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Un Suk Ri (Korea DPR), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Kelly Smith (England), Rebecca Smith (New Zealand), Ane Stangeland Horpestad (Norway), Kerstin Stegemann (Germany), Ingvild Stensland (Norway) and Abby Wambach (USA).