African Footballer of the Year race hots up

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 2 (AFP) --- The race to become African Footballer of the Year will be narrowed to three contenders Monday, the organisers said. An amazing 42 players were nominated by the media and technical committees of the African Football Confederation (CAF) with some not even regulars at club level. Title holder Patrick Mboma of Cameroon, a striker with Italian club Parma, is among those listed, but cannot be considered a serious contender for an honour first bestowed in 1970 on Malian Salif Keita.

CAF changed the format this year with the winner to be announced at a ceremony in South Africa during February or March, instead of a traditional early December announcement from the CAF base in Egypt.

Many observers believe Bayern Munich defender Samuel Osei Kuffour will become the first winner from Ghana since legendary midfielder Abedi 'Pele' Ayew completed a hat-trick of successes in 1993.

Kuffour helped his German team win the European Champions League - the leading international club competition - this year and headed the winner against Boca Juniors of Argentina in the world championship final last week. Al-Hadji Diouf, the peroxide blond striker from French club Lens whose goals propelled Senegal to fairytale qualification for the 2002 World Cup finals, is another strong contender.

Nothing symbolised the flair and spirit of the West African upstarts more than young Diouf, who scored hat-tricks against Namibia and Algeria in decisive Dakar victories.

While unlikely to finish first, Ivory Coast sharpshooter Ibrahima Bakayoko from French outfit Marseille struck 11 goals in the World Cup qualifiers and should command support.

Midfielder Samuel Eto'o from Spanish side Real Mallorca may be the best Cameroon bet and Denmark-based South African midfielder Sibusiso Zuma has improved so much that Italian clubs are on his trail. Seven of the top 10 in 2000 made the list - Mboma, Cameroon compatriots Lauren Mayer and Eto'o, veteran Egyptians Hany Ramzy and Hossam Hassan, Moroccan Noureddine Naybet and South African Shaun Bartlett.

Previous African Footballers of the Year

 1970 - Salif Keita (Mli) 
 1971 - Ibrahim Sunday (Gha)
 1972 - Cherif Souleymane (Gui)
 1973 - Tshimen Bwanga (Drc)
 1974 - Paul Moukila (Cgo)
 1975 - Ahmed Faras (Mar)
 1976 - Roger Milla (Cmr)
 1977 - Tarak Dhiab (Tun)
 1978 - Abdul Razak (Gha)
 1979 - Thomas N'Kono (Cmr)
 1980 - Jean-Manga Onguene (Cmr)
 1981 - Lakhdar Belloumi (Alg)
 1982 - Thomas N'Kono (Cmr)
 1983 - Mahmoud al-Khatib (Egy)
 1984 - Theophile Abega (Cmr)
 1985 - Mohamed Timoumi (Mar)
 1986 - Badou Zaki (Mar)
 1987 - Rabah Madjer (Alg)
 1988 - Kalusha Bwalya (Zam)
 1989 - George Weah (Lbr)
 1990 - Roger Milla (Cmr)
 1991 - Abedi 'Pele' Ayew (Gha)
 1992 - Abedi 'Pele' Ayew (Gha)
 1993 - Abedi 'Pele' Ayew (Gha)
 1994 - Emmanuel Amunike (Ngr) and George Weah (Lbr)
 1995 - George Weah (Lbr)
 1996 - Nwankwo Kanu (Ngr)
 1997 - Victor Ikpeba (Ngr)
 1998 - Mustapha Hadji (Mar)
 1999 - Nwankwo Kanu (Ngr)
 2000 - Patrick Mboma (Cmr)

The poll was organised by French magazine France Football until 1994 when the African Football Confederation took over with its media and technical committee members eligible to vote