Voting for the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2017 opened
The five-man shortlist of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Naby Keita, Sadio Mane, Victor Moses and Mohamed Salah was revealed during a special live launch broadcast in London.
Cameroon’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations winner Arnaud Djoum was part of the panel to discuss the nominees, as were Nigeria’s 1996 Olympic football champion Emanuel Amuneke and Jean Sseninde of Uganda’s national team and Crystal Palace ladies squad.
The winner of this year’s award will be announced on Monday 11 December, live on BBC World TV and BBC World Service Radio, starting from 17:35 GMT.
The BBC Sport and BBC Africa websites will also carry the announcement.
Borussia Dortmund and Gabon striker Aubameyang is on the shortlist for the fifth consecutive year, while Liverpool’s Senegalese star Mane is nominated for a third time.
The rest of the nominees – Guinean Keita (RB Leipzig), Nigeria’s Moses (Chelsea) and Salah of Egypt (Liverpool) – have never been on the shortlist before.
Despite their Nations Cup triumph in February, no Cameroonian has made a list selected by a combination of Africa-based journalists and coaches, and BBC staff.
Story by Sammy Heywood Okine