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Image source, Getty Images
Victor Boniface (left) has reacted on X after being left of the men's African player of the year shortlist but Mohamed Salah has not passed comment
The shortlist for the annual African player of the year usually draws comment from across the continent when it is announced, but the nominees for 2024's prize have sparked a heated debate.
Atalanta and Nigeria winger Ademola Lookman is one of 10 contenders for the men's award, but the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has received criticism on social media for some of the names overlooked.
Lookman's Super Eagles team-mate Victor Boniface and Egypt captain Mohamed Salah are chief among them, with Boniface expressing his own frustrations on X.
Replying to a post which highlighted his role in helping Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten domestic double, the striker replied: "Rookie of the season. Team of the season. No worry I [don't] play Afcon".
Boniface missed Nigeria's run to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year through injury.
In another post, the 23-year-old joked he would wait for the "Memes d'Or" - an internet parody of the Ballon d'Or awarded to the world's best footballer.
Salah, meanwhile, suffered a hamstring injury at the 2023 Nations Cup before Egypt exited in the last 16 in Ivory Coast.
But Salah's fine club form for Liverpool was highlighted by website King Fut, which said: "33 goals and 18 assists for club and country... and still not enough for a Caf player of the year nomination?
"Something seems amiss here."
Last year's winner Victor Osimhen, who had a disappointing campaign with Napoli before moving on loan to Galatasaray in September, Real Madrid's Morocco international Brahim Diaz and Senegal forward Sadio Mane were also missing from the list of nominees.
Ivory Coast and Fae nominated
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,Emerse Fae (right, in white) is in the running for coach of the year after leading Ivory Coast to glory at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year
Form at the 2023 Nations Cup finals certainly appears to have been a major factor in Caf's shortlists.
Brighton forward Simon Adingra, who set up both goals in the final for winners Ivory Coast, is named on the player of the year list alongside Nigeria centre-back William Troost-Ekong and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who both had impressive tournaments.
Soufiane Rahimi was nominated after scoring eight goals in Morocco's bronze-medal winning campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with Atlas Lions team-mate Achraf Hakimi also included.
Ivory Coast lead the nominations in the national team category and Elephants manager Emerse Fae is in the running for coach of the year after masterminding their fairytale Nations Cup triumph on home soil.
Elsewhere, Brighton pair Carlos Baleba and Yankuba Minteh are shortlisted for young player of the year alongside Leicester City midfielder Bilal El Khannouss.
The nominees for the women's categories are yet to be announced by Caf, with the awards ceremony to be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 16 December.
Caf 'should consider club form'
Analysis by Isaiah Akinremi, BBC Sport Africa reporter in Lagos
Questions have been raised on social media about the criteria used by Caf for its selections for the 2024 African player of the year award.
Victor Boniface, Mohamed Salah, Mohammed Kudus and Ayoub El Kaabi have all missed out despite sterling club performances.
Boniface's absence from the 2023 Afcon might have cost the Nigerian a place in the list despite his remarkable form with Bayer Leverkusen, scoring 21 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions in an unbeaten league and cup double.
El Kaabi's impressive record in the Uefa Europa Conference League was also overlooked after the Morocco striker bagged 11 goals and put in a match-winning performance in the final against Fiorentina.
The impression from supporters is that Caf should consider varying degrees of success with club and country in selecting the best player in Africa.
Caf awards 2024 nominees - men's categories
Player of the Year
Simon Adingra (Brighton & Hove Albion and Ivory Coast), Amine Gouiri (Rennes and Algeria), Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea), Achraf Hakimi (Paris St-Germain and Morocco), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta and Nigeria), Chancel Mbemba (Marseille and DR Congo), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain and Morocco), Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen and Burkina Faso), William Troost-Ekong (Al Kholood and Nigeria), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa).
Young player of the year
Abdul Aziz Issah (Barcelona B, Spain), Carlos Baleba, Yankuba Minteh (both Brighton & Hove Albion, England), Eliesse Ben Seghir, Lamine Camara (both Monaco, France), Oumar Diakite (Reims, France), El Hadji Malick Diouf (Slavia Prague, Czech Rep), Bilal El Khannouss (Leicester City, England), Karim Konate (RB Salzburg, Austria), Amanallah Memmiche (Esperance, Tunisia).
Goalkeeper of the year
Oussama Benbot (USM Alger and Algeria), Djigui Diarra (Young Africans and Mali), Munir El Kajoui (RS Berkane and Morocco), ,Yahia Fofana (Angers and Ivory Coast), Amanallah Memmiche (Esperance and Tunisia), Lionel Mpasi (Rodez and DR Congo), Andre Onana (Manchester United and Cameroon), Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United and Nigeria), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly and Egypt), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa).
Inter-club player of the year
John Antwi (Dreams FC, Ghana), Abdul Aziz Issah (Barcelona B, Spain), Oussama Benbot (USM Alger, Algeria), Issoufou Dayo (RS Berkane, Morocco), Husein El Shahat, Mostafa Shobier (both Al Ahly, Egypt), Amanallah Memmiche, Yassine Meriah (both Esperance, Tunisia), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Zizo - (Zamalek, Egypt).
Club of the year
Al Ahly, Zamalek (both Egypt), Dreams FC (Ghana), Esperance (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Petro Atletico (Angola), RS Berkane (Morocco), Simba, Young Africans (both Tanzania), TP Mazembe (DR Congo).
National team of the year
Angola, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda.
Manager of the year
Kwesi Appiah (Sudan), Hugo Broos (South Africa), Chiquinho Conde (Mozambique), Sebastien Desabre (DR Congo), Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast), Jose Gomes (Zamalek), Pedro Goncalves (Angola), Florent Ibenge (Al Hilal), Marcel Koller (Al Ahly), Brahima Traore (Burkina Faso).
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