African Player of the Year: Mikel Obi to fight off Toure and Drogba

The final shortlist for the African footballer of the year has been drawn with one of the trio set to be named on January 9 in Lagos

Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel will go head to head against Cote D’Ivoire pair Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba for the Caf African Footballer of the Year award to be announced at a gala in Lagos on January 9.

The trio emerged finalists for the award after Caf pruned the list of 10 players on Monday. Those dropped include Nigerian trio of Vincent Enyeama, Emmanuel Emenike and Ahmed Musa, Egyptian veteran Mohamed Aboutreika, Burkinabe midfielder Jonathan Pitroipa, Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan and Gabon’s Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.

First time nominee Mikel will attempt to unseat reigning player of the year Toure and former winner Drogba. Both Ivoirians have won the award twice, with Yaya hoping to make it three wins on a spin.

In a year where national team football accolades will be key to the award, Mikel should expect to get a favourable look in by the coaches of the 53 national associations that make up the voting pool.

The Chelsea midfielder led Nigeria to Africa Cup of Nations title in February 2013, helping the Super Eagles defeat the Ivoirians in a testy quarter final encounter along the way.

Having won the Goal Nigeria Player of the Year Award for the second time in 2013 among many other accolades, Mikel certainly looks good enough for the African title this term.

With key performances that showed him as the fulcrum of the Nigerian side that broke a 19-year barren run, Mikel has placed himself at a vantage point. After all, he is the only one among the trio that has ever won an Afcon title.

While the Ivoirians have succeeded at their club sides, they have never been able to bring their talent to bear on the continent.