Marc-Vivien Foé Prize: review of previous editions

Text by: David Kalfa Follow

On June 29, RFI and France 24 will unveil the name of the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé 2020. In the meantime, here is a review of the eleven previous editions of this election of the best African player in the French Championship (Ligue 1).

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2009: Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux / Morocco) - Forward

That year, the Girondins were crowned champions of France. Their Moroccan striker, who scored 13 goals in Ligue 1 (L1), was one of the great architects of the title, like his Senegalese partner Souleymane Diawara, third in a vote then gathering only the journalists of RFI. Another “Lion of Teranga”, striker Mamadou Niang, finished second, like his club, Olympique de Marseille, dolphin of Bordeaux in the L1 classification.

2010 & 2011: Gervinho (Lille / Ivory Coast) - Forward

"I took it twice," likes to remind the twirling winger, about the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé (MVF). In 2010, the title of best African player in the French Championship does not yet bear the name of the ex-Cameroonian player who died in 2003. The Ivorian comes out of a brilliant season with the Losc and narrowly ahead… Mamadou Niang and Marouane Chamakh, in the ranking of a vote still organized by RFI but which this time brings together specialized journalists from other media.

In 2011, another victory: Gervais Yao Kouassi leaps ahead of the Senegalese Moussa Sow, his partner at Losc (and the Ghanaian from Marseille, André Ayew), with whom he was crowned champion of France. A few months later, while Gervinho was transferred to Arsenal (England), the player received his distinction from the hands of Marie-Louise Foé, the widow of Marc-Vivien Foé, at the Maison de Radio France. This time, France 24 joined the organization of the event.

2012: Younès Belhanda (Montpellier / Morocco) - Midfielder

The Moroccan surfs on the incredible season of the MHSC, champion of France in front of the PSG, to finish in front of the Cameroonian Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille) and the Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Saint-Etienne). The attacking midfielder receives his trophy in complete relaxation at the Domaine de Grammont, the Montpellier training center, just before the end of the season. He was elected by an international jury.

2013: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Saint-Etienne / Gabon) - Forward

Nicolas Nkoulou is still second (ahead of Burkinabè Jonathan Pitroipa, this time). But there is no picture: the defender ends far behind "Aubame", the second top scorer in Ligue 1 behind the phenomenon Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Shortly before leaving for Borussia Dortmund, the striker comes to seek his distinction in Issy-les-Moulineaux, at the headquarters of France Médias Monde (FMM).

2014: Vincent Enyeama (Lille / Nigeria) - Goalkeeper

The first (and last) doorman elected best African in L1. And the only Nigerian, so far. Impressive in the Losc cage, "Vinny" finished in front of two side rears: the right side Serge Aurier (Toulouse / Ivory Coast) and the left side Henri Bédimo (Lyon / Cameroon). Like Aubameyang, Enyeama receives its trophy at FMM.

2015: André Ayew (Marseille / Ghana) - Midfielder

The Ghanaian neither won the CAN in Equatorial Guinea nor the title of African Player of the year 2015. But he was able to console himself with a Marc-Vivien Foé Prize. At the end of the ballot, the multi-purpose environment outstripped the Ivorian Max-Alain Gradel (Saint-Etienne) and the Tunisian Aymen Abdennour (Monaco). He is forever the first Marseillais winner.

2016: Sofiane Boufal (Lille / Morocco) - Midfielder

The attacking midfielder is the third Lille and the third Moroccan winner. Elected in front of the Senegalese Cheikh Ndoye (Angers) and the Algerian Rachid Ghezzal, the "Lion of the Atlas" will however receive his "MVF" only several months later. Seriously injured just before the end of the season, Losc did not want his nugget to come and attend a ceremony immediately. It is therefore as a boarder from Southampton (England) that he comes to glean his reward.

2017: Jean Michaël Seri (Nice / Côte d'Ivoire) - Midfielder

The Niçois shine during the 2016-2017 fiscal year with the little torchbearer. So much so that the Ivorian is then about to commit to FC Barcelona. He will never fully recover from this aborted transfer. Regarding the vote, Seri is ahead of the Algerian Ryad Boudebouz (Montpellier) and the Cameroonian Benjamin Moukandjo (Lorient). The head of the RFI sports department, Alejandro Valente, presents his trophy to the winner in front of the audience of the Allianz Arena.

2018: Karl Toko Ekambi (Angers / Cameroon) - Forward

It would have taken a decade to see a Cameroonian win this distinction which nevertheless bears the name of an illustrious "Indomitable Lion". “KTE” is also the first Angevin elected. His 17 productions won over a jury who generally preferred him to the Tunisian Wahbi Khazri (Stade Rennes) and the Burkinabè Bertrand Traoré (Olympique Lyonnais). The future player from Villarreal (Spain) is distinguished at FMM, surrounded by his relatives.

2019: Nicolas Pépé (Lille / Ivory Coast) - Forward

Another Lille, another Ivorian and another attacker! But what a season from the one who finishes ahead of Khazri (Saint-Etienne) and the Senegalese Ismaïla Sarr (Stade Rennes), with 22 goals and 11 assists. Impressive statistics which are worth a transfer from Pépé to Arsenal (England) against 80 million euros. The player receives his MVF after training in Lille, before presenting it himself to the public at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

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Marc-Vivien Foé Prize 2020: the 11 nominated to succeed Nicolas Pépé