Sports

African men, women footballers make prestigious Ballon d’Or awards shortlist

Published

1 year ago

September 7, 2023

Four African male footballers made the 30-man shortlist of contenders to win this year’s prestigious Ballon d’Or award. The prize is awarded to the footballer deemed to be the best in the world during a football season.

Cameroon and Manchester United goalkeeper, André Onana, who was part of the team that made it to the final of the elite European club Championship, the UEFA Champions League, was among the nominees. Onana had a controversial World Cup experience in Qatar after falling out with his national team manager and was not even included among the substitutes for the Indomitable Lions’ second Group G outing at Qatar 2022.

The second African on the list is Egyptian and Liverpool striker, Mohamed Salah, whose club side had an underwhelming 2022/2023 season after the loss of Senegalese Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich. But Salah managed to acquit himself well with 19 league goals. In the same season, he overtook Robbie Fowler to become the club’s all-time top Premier League goalscorer, and only four men have ever netted more for the Reds in all competitions.

Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, another goalkeeper, also made the list after outstanding performances at the Qatar 2022 World Cup where he kept four clean sheets, the most out of any goalkeeper in the tournament, and made two saves during the round of 16 penalty shoot-out against Spain, leading to Morocco qualifying for the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. He was the first African to reach three clean sheets at a World Cup.

The fourth African on the list is Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, who is considered one of the best strikers in the world. The 24-year-old sticker had a record-breaking season with Italian side, Napoli, where he scored 26 goals to win the Serie A top scorer award, which led to Napoli winning the Scudetto after a 33-year wait. Osimhen became the first African to win the highest goal scorer award, while also becoming the first player since Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win both the Capocannoniere (top scorer award) and the Scudetto (the league title) in the same season, a record which has stood for 14 long years.

Other nominees on the list are Josko Gvardiol – Manchester City/Croatia, Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad, Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich/Germany, Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid/England, Bukayo Saka – Arsenal/England, Randal Kolo Muani – Paris Saint-Germain/France, Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City/Belgium, Bernardo Silva – Manchester City/Portugal, Emiliano Martínez – Aston Villa/Argentina, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Napoli/Georgia
Rúben Dias – Manchester City/Portugal, Nicolo Barella – Inter Milan/Italy, Erling Haaland – Manchester City/Norway.

Others are Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal/Norway, Julián Álvarez – Manchester City/Argentina, Ilkay Gündogan – Barcelona/Germany, Vinícius Júnior – Real Madrid/Brazil, Lionel Messi – Inter Miami/Argentina, Rodri – Manchester City/Spain, Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan/Argentina, Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid/France, Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona/Poland, Kylian Mbappé – Paris Saint-Germain/France, Kim Min-Jae – Napoli/South Korea, Luka Modric – Real Madrid/Croatia, and Harry Kane – Bayern Munich/England.

In the women’s category of the award, the continent has one representative on the list. Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala, who plays for FC Barcelona Femini in the Spanish League, made the list. Oshoala is the reigning African women’s player of the year. She scored 21 goals in just 28 games to lead FC Barcelona to the 2022/23 Spanish league title and was the Spanish club’s top-scorer with 27 goals in all competitions.

Oshoala made history at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand by becoming the first female African and Nigerian player to score in three different FIFA World Cups.

Others on the women’s list include Khadija Shaw -Man City/England, Mapi Leon – Barcelona/France, Mary Earps-Man United/England, Wendie Renard – Lyon/France, Katie Mccabe – Arsenal/England, Jill Roord – Wolfsburg and Man City/ England, Yui Hasegawa -Man City/Japan, Alexandra Popp – Wolfsburg/Germany, Aitana Bonmati – Barcelona/Spain, Debinha -Kansas City/ Brazil, Sam Kerr – Chelsea/ Australia, Guro Reiten – Chelsea/ Norway,
Ewa Pajor – Wolfsburg/Poland, Patricia Guijarro – Barcelona/Spain, Daphne Van Domselaar – Twente and Aston Villa/ Netherlands.

The list also has Lena Oberdorf – Wolfsburg/Germany, Hinata Miyazawa – MyNavi Sendai and Man United/ Japan
Millie Bright- Chelsea/England, Salma Paralluelo – Barcelona/Spain, Sophia Smith – Portland Thorns/USA, Hayley Raso (Man City and Real Madrid/Australia, Amanda Ilestedt (PSG and Arsenal/ Sweden, Georgia Stanway – Bayern Munich/ England, Olga Ramona – Real Madrid/ Latvia, Fridolina Rolfo – Barcelona/Sweden, Rachel Daly – Aston Villa/England, Alba Redondo – Levante/ Spain, Linda Caicedo – Real Madrid/ Colombia, and Kadidiatou Diani – Lyon/French.

The winner of the award is voted by journalists from FIFA’s 100 top-ranked member nations. The winners will be announced at a prestigious gala in France in October.

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Sports

South Africa FA President Danny Jordaan detained. Here’s why

Published

1 day ago

November 17, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Danny Jordaan, the president of the South African Football Association (SAFA), was taken into custody on Wednesday on suspicion of misusing the organization’s funds for personal gain.

On Tuesday, Jordaan, who played a key role in securing South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup, attempted to have his impending arrest stopped by a court. The case is postponed until Dec. 5.

The matter has been postponed until December 5. Jordaan, who was given 20,000 rand ($1,110) bail, says he has done nothing wrong.

The police raid on the SAFA headquarters in March is what led to the arrest.

Between 2014 and 2018, “the president of SAFA used the organization’s resources for his gain, including hiring a private security company for his protection and a public relations company, without authorisation from the SAFA board,” according to a police spokesperson at the time.

Jordaan, 73, appeared in Palm Ridge magistrates court together with his co-accused, SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo, and businessman Trevor Neethling, who was also given bail.

They have been advised not to communicate with any of the 19 possible state witnesses on the list who may testify against them.

Sports

Ghanaians in tears as Black Stars fail to make AFCON 2025y

Published

2 days ago

November 16, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghanaians in tears as Black Stars fail to make AFCON 202

Football lovers in Ghana have been thrown into sadness following the failure of their national team, the Black Stars, to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, the first time in 20 years.

The four-time African champions missed out on the continental soccer fiesta after a lackluster 1-1 draw against Angola on Friday night.

The Black Stars needed to win away in Luanda to take their qualification bid to the final round of Group F fixtures and looked on course when captain Jordan Ayew opened scoring for the visitors on 18 minutes, 6 only for Ambrosini ‘Zini’ Salvador to equalise after 64 minutes for already-qualified Group F winners Angola.

The draw left Ghana bottom of the table with three points, four adrift of Sudan in the second qualifying place, with one round of match left.

In other matches played on Friday, minnows Comoros defied all odds to qualify for the tournament scheduled for Morocco next year alongside Mali, Zambia and Zimbabwe, bringing the number of countries that have so far qualified to 19, with five places up for grabs to complete the 24-team finalsyy.

Kamory Doumbia’s first-half goal gave Mali a 1-0 win in Mozambique, with the game going ahead in Maputo despite street protests following last month’s disputed presidential election to book their spot in Morocco.

Zambia moved to the summit of Group G after registering a surprise 1-0 home victory over reigning continental champions Ivory Coast, although the Elephants were already through before kick-off with the result ending Sierra Leone’s hopes of qualification.

Comoros will return to the finals after Myziane Maolida’s 90th-minute winner clinched a 2-1 victory away against The Gambia and eliminated the Scorpions in Group A.

Gambia needed at least a point to remain in the hunt and led in the 18th minute through Alassana Jatta but Rafiki Said quickly equalised for the islanders.

Comoros, who reached the last 16 on its debut at the 2021 finals but missed out on the 2023 edition, join Tunisia in progressing from Group A.

Zimbabwe needed just a point from their home game against Kenya to secure a top-two spot in Group J, and saw out a 1-1 draw against the Harambee Stars to ensure they progress alongside Cameroon.

Elsewhere, Botswana missed the opportunity to book just their second appearance at the Nations Cup after drawing 1-1 at home against Mauritania in Group C while Cape Verde were eliminated after a 1-1 stalemate at home against already-qualified Egypt.

Botswana will now need a point from their trip to Egypt on Tuesday to qualify, while Mauritania will finish second in the group if they win at home against Cape Verde and the Zebras are beaten in Cairo.

Meanwhile, South Africa defeated Uganda 2-0 in Group K and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz scored twice as tournament hosts Morocco came from behind to win 5-1 against Gabon in Group B as all four teams were already assured of progress before kick-off.

Teams that already qualified for AFCON 2025:

Morocco (hosts), Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Comoros, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.