Yaya Toure Is On Pace To Break Samuel Eto’o’s Record

The Confederation of African Football just released the list of nominees for the 2015 African Footballer of the Year Award, the continent’s most prestigious award. Reigning African Player of the Year, Yaya Toure, whose name figures on the list of nominees is on pace to set a new record.

Maybe champion for the 5th time

Touré won the award for the fourth consecutive time last year. The Ivorian midfielder, who’s had a very slow start of the season, scoring only one goal in 10 appearances with Manchester City so far, led his national team to the Africa Cup of Nations title last February in Equatorial Guinea. If he wins the award this year, the Ivorian midfielder will surpass Samuel Eto’o. Cameroon’s football legend won the award four times (in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010). Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,  who has scored so far 10 goals in just 8 Bundesliga matches with Borussia Dortmund, is a strong contender for the award. The Confederation of African Football will announce the winner of the title on December 22nd.

See the full list of nominees below:

• Ahmed Musa – CSKA Moscow (Russia) and Nigeria
• Andre Ayew – Swansea City (England) and Ghana
• Aymen Abdennour – Valencia (Spain) and Tunisia
• Baghdad Bounedjah – Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) and Algeria
• Bassem Morsi – Zamalek (Egypt) and Egypt
• Christian Atsu – Bournemouth (England) and Ghana
• Dieumerci Mbokani – Norwich City (England) and DR Congo
• El Arbi Soudani – Dynamo Zagreb (Croatia) and Algeria
• Faouzi Ghoulam – Napoli (Italy) and Algeria
• Ferebory Dore – Angers (France) and Congo
• Gervinho – Roma (Italy) and Ivory Coast
• Ibrahima Traore – B Monchengladbach (Germany) and Guinea
• Javier Balboa – Al Faisaly (Saudi Arabia) and Equatorial Guinea
• Heldon Ramos – Rio Ave (Portugal) and Cape Verde
• Mame Biram Diouf – Stoke City (England) and Senegal
• Max Gradel – Bournemouth (England) Ivory Coast
• Mehdi Benatia – Bayern Munich (Germany) and Morocco
• Mudather El Tahir ‘Careca’ – Al Hilal (Sudan) and Sudan
• Mohamed Salah – Roma (Italy) and Egypt
• Nicolas Nkoulou – Marseille (France) and Cameroon
• P-Emerick Aubameyang – B Dortmund (Germany) and Gabon
• Robert Kidiaba – TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and DR Congo
• Rudy Gestede – Aston Villa (England) and Benin
• Riyad Mahrez – Leicester City (England) and Algeria
• Sadio Mane – Southampton (England) and Senegal
• Serge Aurier – Paris St Germain (France) and Ivory Coast
• Seydou Keita – Roma (Italy) and Mali
• Sofiane Feghouli – Valencia (Spain) and Algeria
• Stephane Mbia – Trabzonspor (Turkey) and Cameroon
• Thievy Bifouma – Granada (Spain) and Congo
• Victor Wanyama – Southampton (England) and Kenya
• Vincent Aboubakar – Porto (Portugal) and Cameroon
• Vincent Enyeama – Lille (France) and Nigeria
• Yacine Brahimi – Porto (Portugal) and Algeria
• Yannick Bolasie – Crystal Palace (England) and DR Congo
• Yassine Chikhaoui – Al Gharafa (Qatar) and Tunisia
• Yaya Toure – Manchester City (England) and Ivory Coast