On Monday, the men’s category’s best African goalkeeper will be formally named, as CAF gets ready to host the eagerly awaited 2023 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco.
Three of the best shot stoppers—Andre Onana of Cameroon, Mohamed El Shenawy of Egypt, and Yassine Bounou of Morocco—have been shortlisted.
Andre Onana (Cameroon, Manchester United)
Andre Onana, a goalkeeper from Cameroon, had a notable year in 2023, particularly at the club level where he played in 21 games without giving up a point (seven with Manchester United and 14 with Inter Milan).
With fifty appearances across all competitions, Andre Onana is the only goalkeeper in the top five European leagues this season. In addition, he stood out for his outstanding saves, which got him added to the final CAF Awards candidate roster.
Mohamed El-Shenawy (Egypt, Al-Ahly of Egypt)
As the keeper with the most clean sheets (6) in the competition, Mohamed El-Shenawy led Al-Ahly, an Egyptian team, to a record 11th TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title.
El-Shenawy is still one of the best shot stoppers on the continent and has shown consistency over the years. He was also excellent when playing for his country in international matches.
Yacine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal Saudi Arabia)
Yassine Bounou’s incredible saves during the FIFA World Cup were a major factor in Morocco’s historic victory.
The goalkeeper has performed admirably for his team, Al Hilal, and was a key player in the Atlas Lions’ historic semifinal victory in Qatar.
At 13th place in 2023, Bounou also rose to become the highest-ranked African goalkeeper in Ballon d’Or history.
He has earned the right to be ranked in the top three goalkeepers in Africa thanks to his outstanding performance at the world level.
