There will be no Zambian representation at the 2019 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards after the women’s national team and its coach Bruce Mwape failed to make the final shortlist.
CAF announced the final top three contenders for all categories on their official website, and Zambia did not make it after having a fair representation in three categories.
Before the trim, Zambian striker Patson Daka and midfielder Enock Mwepu were nominated for the African Youth Player of the Year while Shepolopolo were in the African Women’s National Team of the Year category and Mwape was competing for the African Men’s Coach of the Year award.
In December last year, Daka and Mwepu missed the final list of nominees for the 2019 CAF Young Player of the Year Award, leaving Zambia’s hopes in Mwape and the women’s football team.
However, according to a CAF update on the final list, neither Mwape nor the Shepolopolo managed to make a podium finish.
Coach Mwape was placed against David Ouma of Kenya, South Africa’s Desiree Ellis, Nigeria’s Thomas Dennerby, Clementine Toure of Ivory Coast and Cameroon’s Alan Djeumfa.
Last year, Mwape was nominated for the awards after guiding Zambia to the Africa Women Cup of Nations in Ghana where the team was eliminated in the first round.
Meanwhile, Shepolopolo was chasing for team of the year accolade alongside Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Ivory Coast and regional rivals South Africa.
And only Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa have since made it to the final list.
Nonetheless, the women’s team performed very well in all competitions last year despite falling off from the awards.
According to the website, the award winners for each category will be announced during the CAF Awards ceremony on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, at the Albatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada, Egypt.
The event will celebrate African footballers and officials who have distinguished themselves during 2019 and also several new award categories in recognition of exceptional contributions to African football and inspiring individuals.
The top three (3) contenders for all the categories are as follows (in alphabetical order):
African Player of the Year
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
African Women’s Player of the Year
Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)
Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC)
African Interclubs Player of the Year
Anice Badri (Tunisia & Esperance)
Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek)
Youcef Belaïli (Algeria & Esperance / Ahli Jeddah)
African Youth Player of the Year
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund)
Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria & Villarreal)
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Lille)
African Men’s Coach of the Year
Aliou Cisse (Senegal – Senegal)
Djamel Belmadi (Algeria – Algeria)
Moïne Chaâbani (Tunisia – Esperance)
African Women’s Coach of the Year
Alain Djeumfa (Cameroon)
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Thomas Dennerby (Nigeria)
African Men’s National Team of the Year
Algeria
Madagascar
Senegal
African Women’s National Team of the Year
Cameroon
Nigeria
South Africa