African Footballer of the Year shortlist: Yaya Toure goes for four in a row, 2 Nigerians make it

Yaya Toure is looking to become the first player to win four-straight African Footballer of the Year awards, as the Manchester City star has been named as one of 25 players on the CAF shortlist.

The Ivory Coast leader held off John Obi Mikel, Didier Drogba and Seydou Keita from 2011-13, and will have to beat a host of players from big name clubs if he wants to join Samuel Eto'o as the only players to have won the award four times.

It is gladdening to note that two Nigerians made the list. Ahmed Musa who has netted in goal after goal for Nigeria and CSKA Moscow, and Vincent Enyeama who has been breaking all sorts of records in Lille, France and Nigeria.

The winner will be announced on Jan. 8, 2015. Here’s the list in full:

2014 African Footballer of the Year shortlist

Ahmed Musa – (Nigeria, CSKA Moscow)

Asamoah Gyan – (Ghana, Al Ain)

Dame N’doye – (Senegal, Lokomotiv Moscow)

Emmanuel Adebayor – (Togo, Tottenham)

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – (Cameroon, Schalke 04)

Fakhreddine Ben Youssef – (Tunisia, CS Sfaxien)

Ferdjani Sassi – (Tunisia, CS Sfaxien)

Gervinho – (Cote d’Ivoire, AS Roma)

Islam Slimani – (Algeria, Sporting Lisbon)

Kwadwo Asamoah – (Ghana, Juventus)

Mehdi Benatia – (Morocco, Bayern Munich)

Mohamed El Neny – (Egypt, Basel)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – (Gabon, Borussia Dortmund)

Raïs M’Bolhi – (Algeria, Philadelphia Union)

Sadio Mané – (Senegal, Southampton)

Seydou Kieta –  (Mali, As Roma)

Sofiane Feghouli – (Algeria, Valencia)

Stephane Mbia – (Cameroon,  Sevilla)

Thulani Serero – (South Africa, Ajax)

Vincent Aboubakar – (Cameroon, Porto)

Vincent Enyeama – (Nigeria, Lille)

Wilfried Bony –  (Cote d’Ivoire, Swansea)

Yacine Brahimi – (Algeria, Porto)

Yannick Bolasie – (DR Congo, Crystal Palace)

Yaya Toure – (Cote d’Ivoire, Man City)