Confederation of African Football (CAF) Association has today released the final lists of nominees for the 2018 Awards.
The Uganda men’s national football team, known as the Cranes have been shortlisted for the 2018 Caf team of the year Award after qualifying for the 2019 African Cup of Nations.
Uganda will battle for the top accolade with Madagascar and Mauritania. Both Madagascar and Mauritania will be debuting at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations while The Cranes qualified for the tournament without conceding a goal.
Cranes captain Denis Onyango has also been shortlisted in the category of the African Player of the year alongside notable nominees; Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City and Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Uganda Cranes was voted the best team of the year at the 2016 CAF Awards as goalkeeper Dennis Onyango scooped the player of the year based in Africa accolade in the same year.
The shortlisted nominees were decided by votes from the members of the CAF Technical & Development Committee.
The final phase will involve votes from CAF Media Experts, Legends, Coaches of the quarter-finalists of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, and Coaches & Captains of the 54 Member Associations.
The Awards Gala, to honour footballers and officials who distinguished themselves during the year will be held on Tuesday, 8 January 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.
Shortlists for CAF Awards 2018
African Player of the Year
1. Alex Iwobi (Nigeria & Arsenal)
2. Andre Onana (Cameroon & Ajax)
3. Anis Badri (Tunisia & Esperance)
4. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
5. Mehdi Benatia (Morocco & Juventus)
6. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal)
8. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
9. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
10. Walid Soliman (Egypt & Ahly)
Women’s Player of the Year
1. Abdulai Mukarama (Ghana & Northern Ladies)
2. Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dilian Quanjian)
3. Bassira Toure (Mali & AS Mande)
4. Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Houston Dash)
5. Elizabeth Addo (Ghana & Seattle Reign)
6. Francisca Ordega (Nigeria & Washington Spirit)
7. Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon & CSKA Moskow)
8. Janine Van Wyk (South Africa & Houston Dash)
9. Onome Ebi (Nigeria & Hekan Huisanhang)
10. Raissa Feudjio (Cameroon & Aland United)
11. Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning)
Youth Player of the Year
1. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmunmd)
2. Franck Kessie (Cote d’Ivoire & AC Milan)
3. Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria & Leicester City)
Men’s Coach of the Year
1. Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
2. Herve Renard (Morocco)
3. Moine Chaabani (Esperance)
Women’s Coach of the Year
1. Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
2. Joseph Brian Ndoko (Cameroon)
3. Thomas Dennerby (Nigeria)
Men’s National Team of the Year
1. Madagascar
2. Mauritania
3. Uganda
Women’s National Team of the Year
1. Cameroon
2. Nigeria
3. South Africa