Zambian internationals Rainford Kalaba and Stophilla Sunzu have been nominated on CAF’s top five man list for the African Player of the Year based in Africa.
The duo which plies their trade with Congolese side TP Mazembe lead the way after helping their country lift the 2012 Africa Nations Cup held in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and was also instrumental in their club’s continental success.
Sunzu is one of the most promising and talented defenders on the continent and is most remembered for converting the last penalty kick in the finals against Ivory Coast while Kalaba is touted as one of the most gifted midfielders on the continent.
Others on the list include Egypt and Al-Ahly experienced star Mohamed Aboutreka, Cameroun’s Yennick N’Djenk who plies his trade at Tunisian club Esperance plus his team mate Yousef Mskani who hails from Tunisia.
CAF’s Technical, Football and Media committees decided on the current shortlist which will now be passed on to head coaches and technical directors from CAF member associations whose votes will decide the eventual winners. CAF will announce the top three in the last week of November.
Tunisian Oussam Darragi was crowned last year’s African Player of the Year- Based in Africa
The winners will be unveiled at a ceremony on 20 December in the Ghanaian capital Accra.
Mohamed Aboutreika
Date of Birth: November 7, 1978
Club: Al-Ahly (Egypt)
Country: Egypt
Rainford Kalaba
Date of Birth: August 14, 1986
Club: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
Country: Zambia
Stoppila Sunzu
Date of Birth: June 22, 1989
Club: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
Country: Zambia
Yannick N’Djeng
Date of Birth: March 11, 1990
Club: Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
Country: Cameroon
Youssef Msakni
Date of Birth: October 28, 1990
Club: Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
Country: Tunisia
