France Football, the organisers of the Ballon d’Or, organised the Ballon d’Or Africain from 1970 till 1994 and the winner of that award was recognised as the African Footballer of the Year. In 1995 the magazine opened its main Ballon d’Or award to non-European players and discontinued the Ballon d’Or Africain.

CAF began awarding the African Footballer of the Year prize in 1992 and it continues to do so till this day.

France Football Ballon d’Or Africain

1970

1) Salif Keïta (Mali & Saint-Étienne)
2) Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast & ASEC Mimosas)
3) Ali Abo Greisha (Egypt & Ismaily)

1971

1) Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana & Asante Kotoko)
2) Robert Mensah (Ghana & Asante Kotoko)
3) François Ndoumbé (Cameroon & Canon Yaoundé)

1972

1) Chérif Souleymane (Guinea & Hafia)
2) Bwanga Tshimen (Democratic Republic of Congo & TP Mazembe)
3) Petit Sory (Guinea & Hafia)

1973

1) Bwanga Tshimen (Democratic Republic of Congo & TP Mazembe)
2) Kazadi Mwamba (Democratic Republic of Congo & TP Mazembe)
3) Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast & ASEC Mimosas)

1974

1) Paul Moukila (Congo & CARA Brazzaville)
2) Lobilo Boba (Democratic Republic of Congo & Vita Club)
3) Hassan Shehata (Egypt & Zamalek)

1975

1) Ahmed Faras (Morocco & Mohammédia)
2) Roger Milla (Cameroon & Tonnere Kalara)
3) Mamadou Aliou Kéïta (Guinea & Hafia)

1976

1) Roger Milla (Cameroon & Tonnere Kalara)
2) Papa Camara (Guinea & Hafia)
3) Ali Bencheikh (Algeria & Moloudia Club Alger)

1977

1) Tarak Dhiab (Tunisia & Esperance Tunis)
2) Papa Camara (Guinea & Hafia)
3) Segun Odegbami (Nigeria & IICC Shooting Stars)

1978

1) Karim Abdul Razak (Ghana & Asante Kotoko)
2) Ali Bencheikh (Algeria & Moloudia Club Alger)
3) Thomas N'Kono (Cameroon & Canon Yaounde)

1979

1) Thomas N'Kono (Cameroon & Canon Yaounde)
2) Adolf Armah (Ghana & Accra Hearts of Oak)
3) Kerfalla Bangoura (Guinea & Horoya)

1980

1) Jean Manga-Onguéné (Cameroon & Canon Yaounde)
2) Segun Odegbami (Nigeria & IICC Shooting Stars)
3) Théophile Abega (Cameroon & Canon Yaounde)

1981

1) Lakhdar Belloumi (Algeria & GC Mascara)
2) Thomas N'Kono (Cameroon & Canon Yaounde)
3) Ali Fergani (Algeria & JS Kabylie)

1982

1) Thomas N'Kono (Cameroon & Espanyol)
2) Salah Assad (Algeria & Mulhouse)
3) Lakhdar Belloumi (Algeria & GC Mascara)

1983

1) Mahmoud El Khatib (Egypt & Al Ahly)
2) Opoku Nti (Ghana & Asante Kotoko)
3) Rafiou Moutairou (Togo & OC Agaza)

1984

1) Théophile Abega (Cameroon & Toulouse)
2) Joseph-Antoine Bell (Cameroon & Al Mokawloon Al Arab)
3) Ibrahim Youssef (Egypt & Zamalek)

1985

1) Mohamed Timoumi (Morocco & AS FAR)
2) Rabah Madjer (Algeria & Porto)
3) Ibrahim Youssef (Egypt & Zamalek)

1986

1) Ezzaki Badou (Morocco & Montpellier)
2) Abdelaziz Bouderbala (Morocco & Sion)
3) Roger Milla (Cameroon & Montpellier)

1987

1) Rabah Madjer (Algeria & Porto)
2) Youssouf Fofana (Ivory Coast and Monaco)
3) François Omam-Biyik (Cameroon & Laval)

1988

1) Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia & Cercle Brugge)
2) Roger Milla (Cameroon & Montpellier)
3) 2) Youssouf Fofana (Ivory Coast and Monaco)

1989

1) George Weah (Liberia & Monaco)
2) Joseph-Antoine Bell (Cameroon & Bordeux)
3) Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia & PSV)

1990

1) Roger Milla (Cameroon & Saint-Pierroise)
2) Tahar Chérif El-Ouazzani (Algeria & Aydınspor)
3) Rabah Madjer (Algeria & Porto)
3) François Omam-Biyik (Cameroon & Rennes)

1991

1) Abedi Pele (Ghana & Marseille)
2) George Weah (Liberia & Monaco)
3) François Omam-Biyik (Cameroon & Cannes)

1992

1) Abedi Pele (Ghana & Marseille)
2) George Weah (Liberia & Paris Saint-Germain)
3) Tony Yeboah (Ghana & Eintracht Frankfurt)

1993

1) Abedi Pele (Ghana & Marseille)
2) Tony Yeboah (Ghana & Eintracht Frankfurt)
3) Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria & Vitória de Setúbal)


1994

1) George Weah (Liberia & Paris Saint-Germain)
2) Emmanuel Amunike (Nigeria & Sporting Lisbon)
3) Daniel Amokachi (Nigeria & Everton)

(Some Nigerians believed that France Football favoured players from francophone countries and players that played in France and they were happy when CAF began its own awards).


CAF African Footballer of the Year

1992

1) Abedi Pele (Ghana & Marseille)

1993

1) Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria & Vitória de Setúbal)

1994

1) Emmanuel Amunike (Nigeria & Sporting Lisbon)
2) George Weah (Liberia & Paris Saint-Germain)
3) Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria & Olympiacos)

1995

1) George Weah (Liberia & AC Milan)
2) Emmanuel Amunike (Nigeria & Sporting Lisbon)
3) Daniel Amokachi (Nigeria & Everton)

1996

1) Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria & Inter Milan)
2) George Weah (Liberia & AC Milan)
3) Daniel Amokachi (Nigeria & Besiktas)


1997

1) Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria & Monaco)
2) Japhet N'Doram (Chad & Monaco)
3) Taribo West (Nigeria & Inter Milan)

1998

1) Mustapha Hadji (Morocco & Deportivo La Coruna)
2) Augustine Jay Jay Okocha (Nigeria & Paris Saint-Germain)
3) Sunday Oliseh (Nigeria & Ajax Amsterdam)

1999

1) Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria & Arsenal)
2) Samuel Osei Kuffour (Ghana & Bayern Munich)
3) Ibrahima Bakayoko (Ivory Coast & Marseille)

2000

1) Patrick M'Boma (Cameroon & Parma)
2) Lauren Etame-Mayer (Cameroon & Mallorca)
3) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Mallorca)

2001

1) El Hadji Diouf (Senegal & Lens)
2) Samuel Kuffour (Ghana & Bayern Munich)
3) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Mallorca)


2002

1) El Hadji Diouf (Senegal & Liverpool)
2) Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal & Lens)
3) Ahmed Hossam Mido (Egypt & Ajax)

2003

1) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Mallorca)
2) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Marseille)
3) Augustine Jay Jay Okocha (Nigeria & Bolton Wanderers)

2004

1) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Barcelona)
2) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Chelsea)
3) Augustine Jay Jay Okocha (Nigeria & Bolton Wanderers)

2005

1) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Barcelona)
2) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Chelsea)
3) Michael Essien (Ghana & Chelsea)


2006

1) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Chelsea)
2) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Barcelona)
3) Michael Essien (Ghana & Chelsea)

2007

1) Frédéric Kanouté (Mali & Sevilla)
2) Michael Essien (Ghana & Chelsea)
3) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Chelsea)

2008

1) Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo & Arsenal)
2) Mohamed Abou Trika (Egypt & Al Ahly)
3) Michael Essien (Ghana & Chelsea)

2009

1) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Chelsea)
2) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Inter Milan)
3) Michael Essien (Ghana & Chelsea)


2010

1) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Inter Milan)
2) Asamoah Gyan (Ghana & Sunderland)
3) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Chelsea)

2011

1) Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)
2) Seydou Keita (Mali & Barcelona)
3) André Ayew (Ghana & Marseille)

2012

1) Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)
2) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Shanghai Shenhua)
3) Alex Song (Cameroon & Barcelona)

2013

1) Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)
2) John Mikel Obi (Nigeria & Chelsea)
3) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Galatasaray)

2014

1) Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)
2) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
3) Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria & Lille)

2015

1) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
2) Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)
3) 3) André Ayew (Ghana & Swansea City)

2016

1) Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Leicester City)
2) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
3) Sadio Mané (Senegal & Liverpool)


2017

1) Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
2) Sadio Mané (Senegal & Liverpool)
3) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)

2018

1) Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
2) Sadio Mané (Senegal & Liverpool)
3) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal)

2019

1) Sadio Mané (Senegal & Liverpool)
2) Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
3) Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)

2022
1) Sadio Mané (Senegal & Bayern Munich)
2) Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
3) Édouard Mendy (Senegal & Chelsea)

2023

1) Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Napoli)
2) Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Paris Saint-Germain)
3) Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)

CAF African Women’s Footballer of the Year

2001: Mercy Akide (Nigeria & San Diego Spirit)

2002: Alberta Sackey (Ghana & Robert Morris College)

2003: Adjoa Bayor (Ghana & Ghatel Ladies)

2004: Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria & Pelican Stars)

2005: Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria & Pelican Stars)

2006: Cynthia Uwak (Nigeria & FC United)

2007: Cynthia Uwak (Nigeria & FC United)

2008: Noko Matlou (South Africa & University of Johannesburg )

2010: Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria & Sunnanå SK)

2011: Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria & Sunnanå SK)

2012: Genoveva Añonman Nze (Equatorial Guinea & Turbine Potsdam)

2014: Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Rivers Angels)

2015: Gaëlle Enganamouit (Cameroon & Eskilstuna United DFF)

2016: Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Arsenal)

2017: Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dalian Quanjian)

2018: Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Houston Dash)

2019: Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)

2022: Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)

2023: Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)

African Footballer of the Year.

Abedi Pele won the Ballon d’Or Africain in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

Reading...

With all due respect, only Weah, and may be Eto'o can be compared with Abedi Pele.
Abedi belonged to a different class of players. He could single handedly change or win a game! The videos of his games when he was at Marseille are something this generation should watch and see pure magic!

Great footballers all of them. How Jay Jay missed out on a major individual award is criminal.

I like the early years when the winners all played for local clubs.

When I was primary school, I wanted to be a football goalkeeper.

We used to play football during sports day every thursday.

But I was always falling down on the field

The teacher now remove me and put one other girl named Goodness. I hope she has made the National league by now.

Well, I guess the career is not for me.

Nice one.

Why is the third man in the third picture is skirt?

Wow am happy for Nigeria

Nothing concern me but E dey mind

Congratulations Victor Oshimen

Hmmm!

Eto is the greatest african footballer of all time

Kudos to all winners for their dedication and hard work.

y'all Nigerians overrate that okocha too much, man was slightly above average

superlanny:
Great footballers all of them. How Jay Jay missed out on a major individual award is criminal.

Nice update. In anything that involves meritocracy, the North most times is found missing

Waooh Nigeria doing ok in sports

Why No Northerner on the list❓❓


CAF should be using quota system fa❗️❗️😐😐

I went through that list and realised that the past generation of Ghanian footballers was awesome.

These days, Ghanians spend hours online, watching Nigérians and criticizing them instead of working hard to do better.

Congratulations to Victor Osimen and Asisat Oshoala and Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Yellow bar lagba

Cynthia Uwak played very well as a striker just like assist oshoala. Nigeria ladies don win more nation cup that the males ;

bigdawg7:
y'all Nigerians overrate that okocha too much, man was slightly above average

okocha overrated.who are you ,what are you.please stay away from anything football,maybe you should get involve in hockey

Resounding Chelsea.

KarinaSlim:
When I was primary school, I wanted to be a football goalkeeper.

We used to play football during sports day every thursday.

But I was always falling down on the field

The teacher now remove me and put one other girl named Goodness. I hope she has made the National league by now.

Well, I guess the career is not for me.

If you are the lady in your DP, you don't need to go into football. That sport will drain your beautiful body, making you look like alika (a lanky person). I mean, look at all the beautiful ladies in the Falcon team (Asisat, Alozie, etc) looking so fine but terribly drained. I wonder what their husbands will enjoy in their bodies.

By the way, typically, a team needs a maximum of 22 players for a tournament. In a country of over 100 million females, it will take the grace of God for anyone to be selected among the 22 players. It gets even worse if you play for a local team that is terribly neglected by the government. So, stay where you are and make sure you are the best of what you currently do.

Great list.

Nigeria is truly the gaint of Africa, proud to be a Nigerian.