By BBC World Service International Publicity
Published November 22, 2011
BBC World Service has announced the shortlist for the 2011 BBC African Footballer of the Year award. Revealed on the programme, Sport Today, the list of five contenders selected by football experts around Africa includes:
1. Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew: Ghana and Marseille
2. Samuel Eto’o: Cameroon and Anzhi Makhachkala
3. Gervinho: Ivory Coast and Arsenal
4. Seydou Keita: Mali and Barcelona
5. Yaya Touré: Ivory Coast and Manchester City
Fans can vote online at bbc.com/africanfootball and by SMS to +44 77 86 20 20 08, by texting 1 for Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew; 2 for Samuel Eto’o; 3 for Gervinho; 4 for Seydou Keita; and 5 for Yaya Touré.
The BBC’s African Football blogger Piers Edwards says: “This shortlist reinforces the importance of African footballers to Europe’s top clubs. It will be intriguing to see who triumphs in the end.”
Starting at 16.30 GMT on Friday, November 18, 2011, the voting will run until Friday, December 9, 2011. BBC African Footballer of the Year 2011 will be announced in Sport Today live on Friday, December 16, 2011.
RELATED: BBC African Footballer of the Year 2011 Award Opens for Vote
Broadcast at 16:30 Monday to Friday, Sport Today brings stories behind top sporting news, with interviews and reports from across the world. Sports coverage on BBC World Service includes the global weekly sports show, Sports News, and World Football. BBC Afrique (French for Africa), BBC Hausa, BBC Somali and BBC Swahili bring audiences commentary on English Premier League weekend matches.
