Senzo Meyiwa, the Orlando Pirates goalkeeper who was shot dead last month, is nominated for African Player of the Year award.
South Africa goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, who was murdered last month, has been nominated for the African Player of the Year award. The CAF, Africa’s football governing body, bestow separate awards, one for those playing on the continent, and another for footballers based around the world. The deceased Orlando Pirates player is included in a 20-man shortlist for best African playing on the continent. The 27 year-old was shot dead in his girlfriend’s home by an intruder on October 26th, just two weeks after making his seventh and final international appearance for South Africa. The goalkeeper’s murder shocked the country. Jacob Zuma, the country’s president, expressed his sorrow at the incident, saying: ‘We mourn the death of this young footballer and team leader whose life has been taken away at the prime of his career’.
Meyiwa made 109 appearances over nine years for the Johannesburg club, who will play an exhibition match in the goalkeeper’s honour next week against a team of former Manchester United players. The side will include Lee Sharpe, Louis Saha and Viv Anderson, while Paul Scholes is also set to be involved. ‘For the supporters and the players alike, this will be a really exciting match, giving fans the opportunity to see Manchester’s legends return to the pitch to take on the Orlando Pirates Legends’ Scholes said. ‘We’ll all be honouring the memory of Senzo Meyiwa and are proud to have the chance to help to raise funds to support his family’.
The nominees for overseas Player of the Year include Premier League players such as Swansea City’s Wilfried Bony, Emmanuel Adebayor of Tottenham Hotspur and Yaya Toure. The Manchester City midfielder has won the award the last three years running and could become first player to win four-straight African Footballer of the Year awards when the ceremony is held in January.
African Player of the Year
1. Ahmed Musa – Nigeria, CSKA Moscow
2. Asamoah Gyan – Ghana, Al Ain
3. Dame N’doye – Senegal, Lokomotiv Moscow
4. Emmanuel Adebayor – Togo, Tottenham
5. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – Cameroon, Schalke 04
6. Fakhreddine Ben Youssef – Tunisia, CS Sfaxien
7. Ferdjani Sassi – Tunisia, CS Sfaxien
8. Gervinho – Cote d’Ivoire, AS Roma
9. Islam Slimani – Algeria, Sporting Lisbon
10. Kwadwo Asamoah – Ghana, Juventus
11. Mehdi Benatia – Morocco, Bayern Munich
12. Mohamed El Neny – Egypt, Basel
13. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Gabon, Borussia Dortmund
14. Raïs M’Bolhi – Algeria, Philadelphia Union
15. Sadio Mané – Senegal, Southampton
16. Seydou Kieta – Mali, As Roma
17. Sofiane Feghouli – Algeria, Valencia
18. Stephane Mbia – Cameroon, Sevilla
19. Thulani Serero – South Africa, Ajax
20. Vincent Aboubakar – Cameroon, Porto
21. Vincent Enyeama – Nigeria, Lille
22. Wilfried Bony – Cote d’Ivoire, Swansea
23. Yacine Brahimi – Algeria, Porto
24. Yannick Bolasie – DR Congo, Crystal Palace
25. Yaya Toure – Cote d’Ivoire, Man City
African Player of the Year (Based in Africa)
1. Amr Gamal – Egypt, Al Ahly
2. Abdelrahman Fetori – Libya, Ahly Benghazi
3. Bernard Parker – South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs
4. Bongani Ndulula – South Africa, Amazulu
5. Akram Djahnit – Algeria, ES Setif
6. Ejike Uzoenyi – Nigeria, Enugu Rangers
7. El Hedi Belamieri – Algeria, ES Setif
8. Fakhereddine Ben Youssef – Tunisia, CS Sfaxien
9. Ferdjani Sassi – Tunisia, CS Sfaxien
10. Firmin Mubel Ndombe – DR Congo, AS Vita
11. Geoffrey Massa – Uganda, Pretoria University
12. Jean Kasusula- DR Congo, TP Mazembe
13. Kader Bidimbou – Congo, AC Leopards
14. Lema Mabidi – DR Congo, As Vita
15. Mudathir Al Taieb – Sudan, Al Hilal
16. Roger Assalé – Cote d’Ivoire, Sewe Sport
17. Senzo Meyiwa – South Africa, Orlando Pirates
18. Solomon Asante – Ghana, TP Mazembe
19. Souleymane Moussa – Cameroon, Coton Sport
20. Yunus Sentamu – Uganda, AS Vita
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