Marc-Vivien Foé Prize: Gaël Kakuta, first Lensois and Congolese sacred
The Lensois and Congolese Gaël Kakuta, winner of the Marc-Vivien Foé Prize, this May 17, 2021 © Photo agency - Montage FMM
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
5 mins
Gaël Kakuta was elected best African player in the French Football Championship (Ligue 1) on May 17, 2021. In the standings, the 29-year-old attacking midfielder is ahead of forwards Andy Delort (Montpellier HSC / Algeria) and Tino Kadewere (Olympique Lyonnais / Zimbabwe).
He is the first RC Lens and DR Congo national team player to win the Marc-Vivien Foé Prize, awarded by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24.
Publicity
Read more
Gaël Kakuta will celebrate his 30th birthday on June 21.
But the attacking midfielder will receive a birthday present a little in advance: the
2021
Marc-Vivien Foé Prize.
He was indeed elected best African player in the French Football Championship (Ligue 1) under the colors of RC Lens.
A training club in which he returned in July 2020, after having played in five other championships (England, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, China) and eleven other teams, since his departure in 2007.
This trophy rewards the excellent performances of
Gaël Kakuta
, author of 11 goals and 5 assists in 34 Ligue 1 games, but also the great season of Lens, which was still in the second division in 2020.
A special coronation
Gaël Kakuta thus succeeds two players from the neighboring and rival LOSC,
Nicolas Pépé
in 2019 and
Victor Osimhen
in 2020. The one who was born in Lille but who feels deeply Lensois is also the first Artesian to receive this distinction which bears the name of a former local icon, Marc-Vivien Foé.
The Cameroonian midfielder, who died suddenly on June 26, 2003 in Lyon, was champion of France with the Sang et Or in 1998.
This coronation is even doubly particular since Gaël Kakuta is also the first Congolese winner of this Prize created in 2009 by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and awarded with France 24 since 2011. A victory all the more symbolic as the person concerned has long been considered a great hope for French football, before joining the Leopards in 2017.
Lens midfielder Gaël Kakuta (c) congratulated by his teammates after his goal against Bordeaux at the Bollaert stadium, September 19, 2020 AFP / Archives
Andy Delort second
On the other hand, we will have to wait for an Algerian to win.
In the standings for this 2021 edition, Montpellier striker Andy Delort actually finished second with 118 points, behind Gaël Kakuta's 219 points.
The Zimbabwean striker of Olympique Lyonnais Tino Kadewere is third with 70 points.
Just behind him, the gap is very tight between four other players including another Lensois: Seko Fofana.
The Ivorian midfielder is 7th with 58 points.
Karl Toko-Ekambi, winner in 2018, finished 8th with 58 points.
2021 MARC-VIVIEN FOÉ PRIZE: THE RANKING
1. Gaël Kakuta
(RC Lens / RD Congo): 219 points
2. Andy Delort
(Montpellier HSC / Algeria): 118 points
3. Tino Kadewere
(Olympique Lyonnais / Zimbabwe): 70 points
4. Boulaye Dia
(Stade de Reims / Senegal): 69 points
5. Idrissa Gueye
(Paris Saint-Germain / Senegal): 62 points
6. Farid Boulaya
(FC Metz / Algeria): 60 points
7. Seko Fofana
(RC Lens / Ivory Coast): 58 points
8. Karl Toko-Ekambi
(Olympique Lyonnais / Cameroon): 32 points
9. Reinildo Mandava
(LOSC / Mozambique): 21 points
10. Alexandre Oukidja
(FC Metz / Algeria): 7 points
11. Nayef Aguerd
(Stade Rennes / Morocco): 4 points
MARC-VIVIEN FOÉ PRIZE: THE WINNERS
2021
: Gaël Kakuta (RC Lens / DR Congo)
2020
: Victor Osimhen (LOSC / Nigeria)
2019
: Nicolas Pépé (LOSC / Ivory Coast)
2018
: Karl Toko-Ekambi (Angers SCO / Cameroon)
2017
: Jean Michaël Seri (OGC Nice / Ivory Coast)
2016
: Sofiane Boufal (LOSC / Morocco)
2015
: André Ayew (Olympique de Marseille / Ghana)
2014
: Vincent Enyeama (LOSC / Nigeria)
2013
: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (AS Saint-Etienne / Gabon)
2012
: Younès Belhanda (Montpellier HSC / Morocco)
2011
: Gervinho (LOSC / Ivory Coast)
2010
*: Gervinho (LOSC / Ivory Coast)
2009
*: Marouane Chamakh (Girondins de Bordeaux / Morocco)
* The trophy was not yet called Prix Marc-Vivien Foé.
MARC-VIVIEN FOÉ PRICE: INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
The 2021 Marc-Vivien Foé Prize rewards the best African player in the 2020-2021 French Premier League (Ligue 1) Championship.
League 1 players who have represented an African national team in an official match and who have not changed their sporting nationality since are eligible.
The winner was chosen following a vote organized by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24 among a panel of specialist journalists, consultants and football players.
Eighty-one people spoke for this thirteenth edition.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Soccer
Marc-Vivien Foé Prize
League 1
Sports