The competition was limited to the award for the best African player between the Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, the Algerian Riyad Mahrez and the Senegalese Sadio Manet, after yesterday's disclosure of the final list of candidates, granted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Things seem mysterious, especially in light of the striking brilliance of the trio, as the duo of the Liverpool team, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Manet, presented a wonderful season, especially after they jointly won the Champions League titles, as well as winning the Club World Cup title, and crowning Salah the award for the best player in this competition, In addition to being ranked by Manet (fourth) in the Golden Ball award, won by Argentine Lionel Messi, as well as the African Cup of Nations, after Senegal lost Algeria in the final.

In contrast, Mahrez's shares rose a lot, as he achieved important titles with Manchester City, chief among them winning the English Premier League title, as well as crowning Algeria with the team of the African Nations Cup held last summer in Egypt.

As for the list of women nominees for the best female player in Africa, they included: Cameroon, Agra Nchaut, Niger, Aziz Uchwala and South Africa, Tempe Kjatlana.

Al-Kef also revealed the final list of nominees for the best awards at the annual ceremony to be held in Hurghada, Egypt, on January 7. The Confederation of African Football, through its official website, stated that the first three places were reached after a vote from its technical and development committee, and a committee of media experts, focusing on the performance of the candidates during the year under review, 2019.

The selection included the vote of a select group of "CAF" legends, which is made up of previous winners of the most prominent individual title in African football. Legends participated in the voting process for the general player (men and women).

The shortlisted candidates for the award for the best player within the continent included: Tunisian Anis Al-Badri (Esperance), Egyptian Tariq Hamed (Zamalek), and Algerian Youssef Al-Balaili (Esperance / Al-Ahly Jeddah).

In the category of best young player, the Moroccan roster included Ashraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund), Nigerian Samuel Chocwezi (Villarreal) and Nigerian Victor Ossimen (Lille). And competes in the final list of the best coach for the men category, Senegalese Alo Cisse (Senegal team), Algerian Jamal Belmadi (Algeria team), and Tunisian Mouin Chaabani (Esperance). For the Best Coach Award, the list of female candidates included: Alain Jumva (Cameroon), Desiré Ellis (South Africa), and Thomas Dinerby (Nigeria). As for the best team category, the list included: Algeria, Madagascar and Senegal, and the women category: Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa.

Final lists

Best player: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Mohamed Salah (Egypt) and Sadio Manet (Senegal).

Best player: Cameroon, Clement Agara, Nigerian, Aziz Oshwala, and South African Tempe Kjatlana.

■ The best player within the continent: Tunisian Anis Al-Badri (Esperance), Egyptian Tariq Hamed (Zamalek), and Algerian Youssef Al-Balaili (Esperance / Al-Ahly Jeddah).

Best Young Player: Moroccan Ashraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund), Nigerian Samuel Chocoyzzi (Villarreal), Nigerian Victor Ossimen (Lille).

■ The best coach for the men’s category: Senegalese Alou Cisse (Senegal), Algerian Jamal Belmadi (Algeria), and Tunisian Moein Chaabani (Club Esperance).

Best coach: Alain Jumva (Cameroon), Desirée Ellis (South Africa) and Thomas Dinerby (Nigeria).

■ The best team: Algeria, Madagascar and Senegal, and included the women category: (Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa).