Williams, Bakambu, Moriba... Who will be the best African player in La Liga?
La Liga has revealed the list of 20 players in the running for the prestigious best African player award for the 2024-2025 season.
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There are 20 players and one award. La Liga has unveiled the list of 20 African players nominated for the Best African Player award for the 2024-2025 season. The trophy recognises each year the talent and impact of players from the continent on the pitches of the Spanish league.
The award, first presented in 2021, highlights African contributions to Spanish football. Last season, Iñaki Williams, the Ghanaian forward of Athletic Bilbao, won it, following Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria) and Yassine Bounou (Morocco). This season, Williams is again in the running to retain his title, with the Basque side currently sitting 4th in La Liga. With 6 goals and 8 assists, he remains a key player for his team.
Of note, Nigeria and Senegal are the most represented countries, with three nominees each: Christantus Uche (Getafe), Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla) and Umar Sadiq (Valencia) on one side, and Youssouf Sabaly (Real Betis), Pathé Ciss (Rayo Vallecano) and Pape Alassane Gueye (Villarreal) on the other. Villarreal stand out as the club with the most nominated players, with Pape Gueye, Nicolas Pépé and Logan Costa.
Read also: Nicolas Pépé, time for a revival at last?
The vote, organised by La Liga in partnership with African media and the public, is being held online. The results will be revealed in the coming weeks. In a league increasingly open to talent from the African continent, the award is a way of boosting visibility and recognition for players from the diaspora or who were trained locally. And for the nominees, it is also a good opportunity to shine on the continental stage.
The 20 nominees for La Liga's best African player award
- Pape Gueye (Villarreal / Senegal)
- Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano / Ghana)
- Moussa Diarra (Deportivo Alavés / Mali)
- Iñaki Williams (Athletic Club / Ghana)
- Enzo Boyomo (Osasuna / Cameroon)
- Pathé Ciss (Rayo Vallecano / Senegal)
- Youssouf Sabaly (Real Betis / Senegal)
- Djené Dakonam (Getafe / Togo)
- Yvan Neyou (Leganés / Cameroon)
- Nicolas Pepé (Villarreal / Ivory Coast)
- Randy Nteka (Rayo Vallecano / Angola)
- Christantus Uche (Getafe / Nigeria)
- Seydouba Cissé (Leganés / Guinea)
- Logan Costa (Villarreal / Cape Verde)
- Omar Mascarell (Mallorca / Equatorial Guinea)
- Ilaix Moriba (Celta Vigo / Guinea)
- Reinildo Mandava (Atlético Madrid / Zimbabwe)
- Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla / Nigeria)
- Umar Sadiq (Valencia / Nigeria)
- Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis / DR Congo)