This Monday, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will designate the 31st African Ballon d’Or in history, or more precisely the African Player of the Year according to the official term. Before knowing the identity of the lucky winner, dive into the prize list and the record winners of previous editions.
Officially launched by CAF in 1992, the title of African Player of the Year, or African Ballon d’Or, has so far seen 30 editions, those of 2020 and 2021 having been canceled due to Covid-19.
During this time, 18 different winners had the opportunity to add their names to the trophy list. Among them, there are 7 exceptions who have even had the immense honor of winning this prize several times.
Who has won the African Ballon d’Or several times?
Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu was the first to win the trophy more than once, in 1999. Senegalese El-Hadji Diouf then became the first to retain his crown from one year to the next in 2000-2001. He was imitated by the Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o, the Ivorian Yaya Touré, the Egyptian Mohamed Salah and the Senegalese Sadio Mané (if we do not take into account the two canceled editions).
Among the multiple winners, only Kanu and the Ivorian Didier Drogba have failed to retain their crown at least once from one year to the next.
Who holds the record for African Ballon d’Or titles?
Two players share the record for African Ballon d’Or titles. These are Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Touré, both crowned four times during their immense careers.
Eto’o became the first player to win this title three times between 2003 and 2005, but Yaya Touré achieved an even greater feat by winning four consecutive editions from 2011 to 2014! An unrivaled performance that will remain so for many years.
We can emphasize, however, that Eto’o managed to establish his record during a period when adversity was more fierce and during which he was struggling with Didier Drogba. Yaya Touré benefited from a slightly slower period, whenEto’o et Drogba were in decline, leading to limited adversity.
Which country has won the most African Ballon d’Or titles?
The Ivory Coast and the Nigeria share first place among the most successful countries in the African Ballon d’Or, with 6 coronations each. With Ademola Lookman as big favorite of this 2024 edition, the Super Eagles have the opportunity to stand out, while Simon Adingra, although winner of the CAN and present among the finalistsleaves too far for the Ivory Coast.
- Ivory Coast and Nigeria, 6 titles
- Cameroon, 5 titles
- Senegal, 4 titles
- Egypt, 2 titles
- Ghana, Liberia, Morocco, Mali, Togo, Gabon, Algeria, 1 title
Which player is the most successful, including the France Football African Ballon d’Or?
Before CAF launched its African Player of the Year title in 1992, the African Ballon d’Or France Football rewarded the best African player of the year every year since 1970.
Even taking into account this trophy, which then coexisted for three editions with that of CAF, no one manages to equal the 4 titles of Yaya Touré and Eto’o. Abedi Pelé and George Weah stop at three, and Cameroonian legends Roger Milla and Thomas N’Kono at two.
In terms of countries, however, it is Cameroon which takes the lead with this perspective since it has 11 coronations, i.e. 5 ahead of Nigeria and Ivory Coast (6 titles) and 6 over Ghana ( 5 titles). THE Morocco is 4 crowns, like Senegal, while Algeria is three with Egypt and Liberia.
The winners of the African Player of the Year title:
- 2023 : Victor Osimhen, Nigeria – Naples (ITA)
- 2022 : Sadio Mané, Senegal – Liverpool (ENG)
- 2021 : not assigned
- 2020 : not assigned
- 2019 : Sadio Mané, Senegal -Liverpool (ENG)
- 2018 : Mohamed Salah, Egypt – Liverpool (ENG)
- 2017 : Mohamed Salah, Egypt – Liverpool (ENG)
- 2016 : Riyad Mahrez, Algeria – Leicester City (ENG)
- 2015 : Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon – Borussia Dortmund (GER)
- 2014 : Yaya Touré, Ivory Coast – Manchester City (ENG)
- 2013 : Yaya Touré, Ivory Coast – Manchester City (ENG)
- 2012 : Yaya Touré, Ivory Coast – Manchester City (ENG)
- 2011 : Yaya Touré, Ivory Coast – Manchester City (ENG)
- 2010 : Samuel Eto’o, Cameroun – Inter Milan (ITA)
- 2009 : Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast – Chelsea (ENG)
- 2008 : Emmanuel Adébayor, Togo – Arsenal (ENG)
- 2007 : Frédéric Kanouté, Mali – Sevilla FC (ESP)
- 2006 : Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast – Chelsea (ENG)
- 2005 : Samuel Eto’o, Cameroun – FC Barcelona (ESP)
- 2004 : Samuel Eto’o, Cameroun – FC Barcelona (ESP)
- 2003 : Samuel Eto’o, Cameroon – Real Majorque (ESP)
- 2002 : El Hadji Diouf, Senegal – Liverpool (ENG)
- 2001 : El Hadji Diouf, Senegal – Lens (FRA)
- 2000 : Patrick Mboma, Cameroon – Parma (ITA)
- 1999 : Live in Kanu, Nigeria – Arsenal (ENG)
- 1998 : Mustapha Hadji, Morocco – Deportivo La Corogne (ESP)
- 1997 : Victor Ikpeba, Nigeria – AS Monaco (FRA)
- 1996 : Nwankwo Kanu, Nigeria – Inter Milan (ITA)
- 1995 : George Weah, Liberia – AC Milan (ITA)
- 1994 : Emmanuel Amunike, Nigeria – Sporting (POR)
- 1993 : Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria – Victory FC (POR)
- 1992 : Abedi Pelé, Ghana – Olympique de Marseille (FRA)
The winners of the African Ballon d’Or France Football (1970-1994)
- 1970: Salif Kéita (Mali)
- 1971 : Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana)
- 1972: Cherif Souleymane (Guinea)
- 1973 : Tshimen Bwanga (Zaïre)
- 1974 : Paul Moulika (Congo)
- 1975: Ahmed Faras (Morocco)
- 1976 : Roger Milla (Cameroon)
- 1977: Tarak Dhiab (Tunisia)
- 1978 : Karim Addul Razak (Ghana)
- 1979 : Thomas Nkono (Cameroon)
- Jean Manga Onguene (Cameroon) 1980
- 1981: Lakhdar Belloumi (Algeria)
- 1982 : Thomas Nkono (Cameroon)
- 1983: Mahmoud Al-Khatib (Egypt)
- 1984: Théophile Abéga (Cameroon)
- 1985: Mohamed Timouni (Morocco)
- 1986: Badou Zaki (Morocco)
- 1987: Rabah Madjer (Algeria)
- 1988 : Porridge (Zambia)
- 1989: George Weah (Liberia)
- 1990 : Roger Milla (Cameroon)
- 1991: Abedi Pelé (Ghana)
- 1992: Abedi Pelé (Ghana)
- 1993: Abedi Pelé (Ghana)
- 1994: George Weah (Liberia)
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