Every year, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) canvasses football experts across Africa to compile a shortlist of Africa's best players. The BBC African Footballer of the Year award is the only award of its kind to be decided ultimately by fans. By implication, the nominee with the greatest number of fans who vote grabs the award. Is it an award based on talent or number of votes? This is a question to be answered by the organizers.
The 5 candidates for the 2009 BBC African Footballer of the year award have been revealed. The nominees (as seen above) are Tresor Mputu Mabi, Samuel Eto'o, Michael Essien, Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba. According to football experts in Africa, the aforementioned are Africa's top 5 footballers of the year 2009. Now it's up to us to vote for the player we think is the King of African football.
Many have asked why I'd vote for Samuel Eto'o. Is it because he's a fellow Cameroonian?
Samuel Eto'o has been an unstoppable Indomitable Lion playing for Cameroon and Barcelona in 2009. Eto'o ended the 2008-2009 season in Spain, finding the back of the net 30 in 36 league games, with another 6 goals in 12 games in the Champions League. He was instrumental in Barcelona's La Liga and Champions League wins. Eto'o is one of only two players to ever score in different Champion League finals. He scored in the Champions League final against Manchester United in Rome and against Arsenal in 2006.
Samuel Eto'o has been three-times African Footballer of the Year and was installed captain of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in August 2009. He scored three times and led Cameroon from two points adrift to the top of Group A in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Samuel Eto'o's goal tally is virtually second to none.
After being compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eto'o said, "I'm Samuel Eto'o and don't want to compare myself to anyone. I believe the victories I have earned up to now can contribute to giving the right value to my name."
All in all, I'd vote for Samuel Eto'o because he's the best of the best in Africa. Eto'o is unstoppable and has medals in the Champions League, African Nations Cup, Olympics, you name it. It boggles my mind that the BBC African Footballer of the Year award remains illusive for this prolific footballer. I hope my vote makes a difference this year - 2009.
Voting: The voting process of the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2009 runs from 1700 GMT on Monday November 30th to 1700 GMT to Monday January 4th 2010. The winner will be announced on January 8th 2010 at 1600 GMT on the BBC World Service.
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