Who is the best African footballer of 2014?
A 25-man shortlist for the African Footballer of the Year prize for 2014 has been released, featuring some of the best African players around the globe. The winner will be confirmed in Nigeria on January 8, 2014.
Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
The Manchester City midfielder has won CAF's African Footballer of the Year award three times in successive years. He's not the favorite this time round, however, after a dip in form in the Premier League in the second part of the season. That said, he did manage 20 goals last season to help City win the league title.
Gervinho (Roma)
But Gervinho is the favorite after a wonderful year at Italian Serie A club Roma. Part of Rudi Garcia's fast-paced team, the Ivorian forward, who signed from Arsenal, has been a revelation. He has scored 12 goals in 37 games, helping Roma return to the Champions League.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Dortmund)
Aubameyang, from Gabon, has had a strong season so far at Borussia Dortmund. He finished his first season in Germany with 13 league goals and has led the German side into the Champions League this time round with four goals in four games. Despite Dortmund's dreadful start to the league campaign, the 25-year-old is a strong contender.
Mehdi Benatia (Bayern Munich)
While Benatia is still settling at Bayern, his sterling performance in "Der Klassiker" reminded everyone of his natural qualities. A quite brilliant last season at Roma interested Bayern who snapped him up on a five-year-deal. At 27, the defender will likely be ready to enter his peak - but we won't see him at the Africa Cup of Nations for Morocco.
Yacine Brahimi (Porto)
After an impressive World Cup with Algeria, attacking-midfielder Brahimi is one of the outsiders for the prize. He earned a move to Porto in the summer and the fleet-footed 24-year-old has been in red hot form - both in the league and Champions League. Brahimi has now scored four goals in five European games for the Portuguese side by November.
Islam Slimani (Sporting)
Another Algerian World Cup star, Islam Slimani, has also found a home in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon. The powerful 26-year-old frontman netted against Germany in the second round of the World Cup, but his goal was ruled out for offside. His tournament ended with two goals. The Sporting ace also scored against Schalke in the Champions League this season.
Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham)
The 30-year-old Adebayor is a former winner of this prize, back in 2007. The languid forward finished as Tottenham's top-scorer last season in the Premier League with 14 goals. The Togo international has managed just two this season, but is Spurs' first-choice striker in a struggling side under Mauricio Pochettino.
Wilfried Bony (Swansea)
Swansea City's complete striker has been another example of the club's great transfer business. The 25-year-old scored 25 times last season for the Welsh side, while already notching up another four this term. With two goals at the World Cup for the Ivory Coast, Bony's consistent form should see him in contention for the CAF prize.
Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace)
Bolasie has deceptively great skill for someone of his size. This year, the 25-year-old has shown glimpses of magic in the Premier League for Crystal Palace. He managed his only EPL goal in two seasons at Everton, and only recently committed to playing for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting (Schalke)
Choupo-Moting moved to Schalke this summer, off the back of 10 goals for Mainz last season. The tall, creative Cameroonian made his World Cup debut this summer and has been a fine performer in a dysfunctional Schalke side. The 25-year-old has 12 goals in 29 international appearances.
Asamoah Gyan (Al-Ain)
Despite opting to stay in the UAE, a league regarded as weaker than most in Europe, Gyan's goal records can't be ignored. He's now scored 61 goals in 50 games. In the summer in Brazil, he became Africa's highest-ever goalscorer at the World Cup finals. The 28-year-old remains one of the Black Stars' key men.
Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow)
Ahmed Musa was Nigeria's star at the World Cup. His rapid pace caused havoc for his opponents and he smashed in a stunning goal against Argentina. Only 22, Musa has already been capped 42 times and made over 75 appearances for Russian side, CSKA. He's still to mature, but could be ready for a glamor move soon.
Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus)
Moving to Italian champions Juventus, 25-year-old Asamoah has settled in very quickly. The left-back, or left-winger, has excellent pace and has now become a regular for the Ghanaian national side. He already has an impressive 66 caps: that's not bad for his age.
Sadio Mane (Southampton)
Apparently turned down by Liverpool, Senegalese midfielder Mane has been a shrewd buy from high-flyers Southampton. A prolific scorer for Red Bull Salzburg over two seasons - 45 goals in 87 games - the attacking-midfielder, versatile across the pitch, is one of the rising stars of African football.
Best of the rest
Another 11 players are on the shortlist, including Sofiane Feghouli (above, from Valencia and Algeria) as well as the Nigerian World Cup captain, Vincent Enyeama. Two Tunisian players make it, while Dame N'Doye (Lokomotiv), Mohamed ElNenny (Basel), Seydou Keita (Roma), Thulani Serero (Ajax), Mbia (Sevilla), Vincent Aboubakar (Porto) and Rais M'Bholi (Philadelphia Union) are also in CAF's top 25.