CAF has announced the finalists for the African Player of the Year award, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is notably absent from the list.
The Egyptian winger, who previously won the accolade in 2017 and 2018, has remained one of the world’s top players.
Despite producing 25 goals and 14 assists across 44 matches in the 2023/24 season and helping Liverpool secure the Carabao Cup, Salah did not make the shortlist.
This season, the 32-year-old has already contributed 16 goals and 12 assists in just 22 games, further cementing his status as a standout player.
Liverpool fans may find his exclusion surprising, especially given the five finalists named: Simon Adingra, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, Ademola Lookman, and Ronwen Williams.
Salah’s omission could be attributed to his limited team success last season. While his individual stats were exceptional, Liverpool’s Carabao Cup triumph pales in comparison to the achievements of other finalists.
For example, Lookman netted a hat-trick in the Europa League final, helping Atalanta secure their first European trophy, and Adingra shone during the African Cup of Nations.
The favorite for the award appears to be Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, who had a phenomenal 2023/24 season with Stuttgart, scoring 30 goals in 30 games and leading them to a second-place Bundesliga finish. His remarkable rise makes him a strong contender for the 2024 African Player of the Year title.
