CAF Awards: Legends Like Seydou, Odegbami, Okocha Who Never Won Player Of The Year

The prestigious CAF Awards will be held on Monday in Morocco, where the Confederation of African Football will recognize the exceptional players who have distinguished themselves in 2024.

The event billed for the Palais des Congres in Marrakech will celebrate top-performing talents across various categories, recognizing their contributions to African and global football.

The standout feature of the CAF Awards is the African Player of the Year category. Ademola Lookman, Simon Adingra, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, and Ronwen Williams will vie for this prestigious title, hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Victor Osimhen.

Ahead of the CAF Awards, Sportxparte delves into the remarkable careers of African football legends who lit up the game with their brilliance and remarkable achievements but never managed to secure the coveted CAF Player of the Year Award.

Ahmed Hassan (Egypt)

Hassan, one of Africa’s most decorated players, holds the record as the world’s most-capped male footballer, with an impressive 184 appearances for Egypt.

A four-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champion, he played a crucial role in Egypt’s dominance in the tournament, winning titles in 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010.

His unparalleled achievements, his legendary consistency, and his leadership have not yet been matched, making him one of the most iconic figures in African football history.

Finidi George (Nigeria)

Considered one of Africa’s greatest wingers, Finidi had a remarkable football career, leading up to his UEFA Champions League victory with Ajax in 1995.

His exceptional talent attracted interest from global powerhouses like Real Madrid and Barcelona, and the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) ranked him as the 10th best African player of the 20th century.

Despite his impressive accomplishments and brilliance on the pitch, he never won, nor was he even nominated for, the CAF African Player of the Year award.

This glaring omission remains a puzzling footnote in the history of African football.

Michael Essien (Ghana)

Essien, one of Ghana’s football icons, shares the record for the most consecutive nominations for the CAF African Player of the Year award, with five nominations, alongside Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure.

Despite his impressive career, which included winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea, Essien never claimed the top honor.

Each time he was nominated, he finished in third place, solidifying his reputation as one of the unluckiest players in the history of the award.

Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)

Aboutrika, one of Egypt’s finest players, had a glittering career, winning a record four African Inter-Club Player of the Year titles.

Despite his immense success and brilliant performances with Al Ahly and the Egyptian national team, the prestigious CAF African Player of the Year award eluded him.

His most frustrating year came in 2008 when he was beaten to the top prize by Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor, despite his exceptional form, which included leading Egypt to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Joseph-Antoine Bell (Cameroon)

Recognized by the IFFHS as Africa’s greatest goalkeeper of the 20th century, Bell was a standout figure in African football.

Despite his remarkable career and contributions to Cameroon’s success, including helping them win multiple African Cup of Nations titles, he was never crowned CAF African Player of the Year.

Bell came closest to winning the prestigious award by finishing as a runner-up twice, yet the accolade always escaped him.

However, his legendary status as one of the continent’s greatest shot-stoppers remains undeniable, even without the individual honor of being named Africa’s best player.

Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria)

A dazzling talent, Okocha is celebrated as one of Africa’s finest playmakers. Renowned for his flair and creativity, he enjoyed successful stints at prestigious clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Bolton Wanderers, leaving an indelible mark on European football.

Despite his heroics at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations especially, he was unable to secure Africa’s biggest prize.

Samuel Kuffour (Ghana) 

After remarkable stints at Bayern Munich, he lost the prestigious title to Kanu Nwankwo in 1999 and El Hadji Diouf in 2001. Throughout his 12 years at Bayern, he made 250 appearances and secured 17 trophies, leading to a nomination for the 2001 Ballon d’Or.

Hossam Hassan (Egypt)

Hossam Hassan, Egypt’s all-time top scorer with 68 goals in 176 appearances, played a crucial role in the Pharaohs’ Africa Cup of Nations triumphs in 1986, 1998, and 2006. Despite his remarkable consistency and pivotal performances in Egypt’s golden era though, the prolific striker was never awarded the prestigious accolade.

His achievements remain largely underappreciated on the continental stage, as he was never recognized with the award despite his immense contributions to the success of both his club and country.

Anthony Yeboah (Ghana)

He came close to winning the CAF African Player of the Year award but was beaten by his compatriot Abedi Pele twice. In 1993, he also finished ninth in the prestigious FIFA Ballon d’Or, an honor claimed by Italy’s Roberto Baggio that year.

Yeboah’s commanding performances for the Black Stars, along with his impressive club career, particularly in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt, established him as a household name.

Seydou Keita (Mali)

One of Mali’s greatest footballers was narrowly beaten by Yaya Toure to the prestigious CAF African Player of the Year award in 2011.

Despite this setback, Keita enjoyed a stellar club career, particularly with Barcelona. During his time at the Catalan club, he won three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, three Supercopa de España titles, and two UEFA Champions League titles.

His remarkable success at both the club and international levels highlighted his importance in African and global football.

Segun Odegbami (Nigeria)

Known as “Mathematical,” he is regarded as one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers, ranking as the Super Eagles’ second-highest scorer of all time. He was also a two-time runner-up for the CAF African Player of the Year award, finishing second in both 1977 and 1980.

A prolific goal scorer, he was also the second player after Laurent Pokou to win back-to-back AFCON top scorer awards.