Mikel Pitted Against Toure and Drogba for CAF Award.

John Obi Mikel will battle Ivorian duo of Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure for the 2013 African Player of the Year crown.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the final three on Tuesday as Drogba and Toure made the cut for a second successive year.

Mikel, who scored his first league goal for Chelsea on September 21 after missing target in 184 previous appearances, helped the West London outfit clinch the UEFA Europa League in May and also stood out for the Super Eagles in their route to clinching a third African title in South Africa last February.

Image Credit: Twitter @PetersideIdah. Drogba Arrives Inside the Eagles Dressing Room Following Ivory Coast's 2-1 Loss to Nigeria in the Quarter-Finals of Afcon 2013.
Image Credit: Twitter @PetersideIdah. Drogba Arrives Inside the Eagles Dressing Room Following Ivory Coast’s 2-1 Loss to Nigeria in the Quarter-Finals of Afcon 2013.

Manchester City star, Toure, who claimed the BBC top prize for African footballers in November, is the reigning African Footballer of the Year while Drogba will be hoping to claim the title for a third time.

The winner will be announced on January 9 at the Glo-CAF Awards gala in Lagos.

Sunday Mba will be up against Egyptians Ahmed Fathy and Mohamed Abou Trika in the African Player of the Year (based in Africa) category. Abou Trika is the current African Player of the Year (based in Africa).

Nigeria’s Under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, have already clinched the Youth National Team of the Year award while the Nigerian Supporters club is rest assured of the Fair Play Award.

Coach Stephen Keshi and Manu Garba have been nominated along with Burkina Faso’s Paul Put in the Coach of the Year category as the Super Eagles, Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia and the Stallions of Burkina Faso battles for the National team of the Year prize.

Kelechi Iheanacho is among the three final nominees for the Most Promising Talent of 2013. Others are Ebenezer Assifuah and Saleh Gomaa.

1 COMMENT

  1. John Mikel Obi for sure. Fantastic player in Africa and Chelsea fc. He deserve to be crown . DROGBA and Troure are as well fantastic players but it is d turn of Mikel for guiding Super EAGLES to African Nation cup glory where d duo are also participants, is a great achievement and plus for Mikel.