Top 5: Shoot’s 2018 BBC African Footballer of Year

6th December 2018

Categories: Atletico Madrid, Europe, Features, Ghana, Juventus, Liverpool, Napoli, Premier League, Premier League Clubs, Senegal, Top 5

Tags: Africa, Atletico Madrid, BBC, BBC African Footballer of the Year, Egypt, Football, Ghana, Juventus, Kalidou Koulibaly, Liverpool, Medhi Benatia, Mohamed Salah, Morocco, Napoli, Sadio Mane, Senegal, Thomas Partey, World Cup

The 2018 BBC African Footballer of Year will be announced on December 14 with Medhi Benatia, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mane, Thomas Partey and Mohamed Salah the five men all vying to get their hands on the prestigious award.

So with just a week-and-a-half until the king is crowned, we reveal Shoot’s top-5 in order based on each player’s achievements this year.

Our decision is based on what each individual, their current clubs and international sides have accomplished over the past 12 months.

5. Medhi Benatia (Juventus and Morocco)

Morocco’s captain is struggling to break into the Juventus first XI this term.

The Morocco captain has a wonderful CV having played for AS Roma and Bayern Munich in his career. Now at Juventus, he won his fourth and the Serie A side’s seventh domestic title in a row in May, forming a solid base alongside Giorgio Chiellini. A tall, strong centre-back, the 31-year-old also led his country to the World Cup in Russia, where he played two of three matches, for just the fifth time. However, since the summer he’s found it hard to get regular match action in Turin due to the return of Leonardo Bonucci from AC Milan.

4. Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli and Senegal)

Koulibaly is one of the most wanted defenders in world football.

The Napoli central defender has had an impressive 2018, with many clubs – Manchester United reportedly being one – eyeing a January swoop. The 27-year-old excelled as the Naples side finished second in the race for the Scudetto. This term, he’s again been key as the club sit in the same league position and go to Liverpool with a chance of advancing through a difficult Champions League group which they top after five matches. For Senegal, the player who has been named in the Serie A Team of the Year the past three seasons, represented his country at just their second ever World Cup, playing all of their 270 minutes.

3. Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid and Ghana)

The defensive midfielder has established himself as one of Diego Simeone’s key players.

The Ghanaian has emerged as one of La Liga’s top midfielders. The 25-year-old has been a part of an Atletico side that finished second in La Liga, won the Europa League and the Spanish Super Cup. This term he’s made 17 appearances in all competitions as the Spanish side look set to advance to the next stage of the Champions League and contend for the title. For his country, Partey has scored six goals in 17 appearances.

2. Sadio Mane (Liverpool and Senegal)

Mane was joint second alongside team-mates Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino in the Champions League scoring charts last season.

To our runner-up now and the Senegalese star who is among the best forwards in Europe. In 2018, the attacker helped Liverpool reach the Champions League final, in which one of his 10 competition goals came in the final. Add to that 10 league goals and the 26-year-old reached 20 season goals for just the second time in his career. This term his impressive scoring tally continues with seven from 18 matches as the Reds look set to challenge Man City for the title and can qualify for the next stage of the Champions League if they defeat Napoli by two-goals in their final match. For his country, the ex-Southampton star scored his nation’s opening goal at the 2018 World Cup.

1. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)

Salah has become a world superstar since joining Liverpool in the summer of 2017.

Our winner and the overwhelming favourite to take the award, the Egyptian will be looking to become the first player to retain the award since Jay-Jay Okocha in 2004. The forward has had an unbelievable 2018, winning the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year. Not only this, the 26-year-old broke the Premier League record for scoring the most goals in a 38 game season with 32. An injury in the Champions League final was a disappointing way to bow out and hampered his World Cup, but he still managed to score both his country’s goals. Despite not quite hitting the form of last term, the ex-Chelsea man has notched nine times in 20 matches this season.