Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Milan’s Ismael Bennacer are in contention for the 2019 African Player of the Year award.
Koulibaly has been a virtual ever-present in the heart of the Napoli backline and was also nominated for the award in 2018.
Bennacer, meanwhile, was awarded Player of the Tournament at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations as he helped Algeria win the trophy.
The midfielder was signed by Milan on the strength of his displays for Empoli last season.
Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Milan’s Ismael Bennacer are in contention for the 2019 African Player of the Year award.
Koulibaly has been a virtual ever-present in the heart of the Napoli backline and was also nominated for the award in 2018.
Bennacer, meanwhile, was awarded Player of the Tournament at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations as he helped Algeria win the trophy.
The midfielder was signed by Milan on the strength of his displays for Empoli last season.
Other nominees include former Roma forward Mohamed Salah, Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane and Milan youth product Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Full list of 2019 African Player of the Year nominees:
Andrea Onana (Cameroon/Ajax)
Hakim Ziyech (Morocco/Ajax)
Ismael Bennacer (Algeria/Milan)
Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal/Napoli)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
Odion Ighalo (Nigeria/Shanghai Shenhua)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Arsenal)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Man City)
Sadio Mane (Ghana/Liverpool)
Youcef Belaili (Algeria/Al-Ahli)