SIR: Many times, I wonder about the criteria used for the selection of World Footballer of the year as well as African Footballer of the year awards.
In South America, to be voted player of the year, you must play in a South American country for six months. That is why unknown South American players are voted the South American player of the year and not the Lionel Messi et al who ply their trade outside their continent of birth.
In the past few years – football fans have been wondering what the criteria was for picking the best players in Africa, Europe and even the whole world are.
For example, in 1998, there was uproar when Mustapha Hadji was named African player of the year instead of Austin ‘jayjay’ Okocha on account of two matches both in the African Nations cup and, the World Cup. Some critics believed that Hossam Hassan deserved to win the prize on account of his superlative displays during the African Nations cup that year where his country Egypt won the most prized trophy.
Soccer fans have been wondering why footballers who play in Europe seem to be having a greater advantage than those who play in the African continent.
Remembering that the prize is called “African player of the year” leaves many in wonderment. In 2004 – Austin Okocha was the better player in the African Nations cup that was held in Tunisia that year according to analysts but Samuel Eto’o Fils who had a poor tournament by his usual standards was still selected as the best African player because of his exploits in the colours of Barcelona.
In 2008 Emmanuel Adebayor was crowned the African player of the year over Mohamed Aboutrika of Egypt who had contributed much to his club side Al Ahly and his country Egypt winning both the African club championship and the African nations cup.
Its time CAF stopped underrating African football. In the last ceremony that crowned Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang- as the best African player of 2015, Yaya Toure in anger lashed out at CAF claiming that he was denied the crown, in spite of the fact, that he had contributed immensely to Cote D’ivoire winning the African nations cup whereas eventual winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang- of Gabon crashed out in the group stage of same competition.
Paradoxically, Yaya Toure was selected as the 2013 African player of the year over John Mikel Obi of Nigeria who had a far better tournament than him and who had also won the Europa cup with Chelsea Football club whereas Yaya Toure won nothing both for club and country that year. Incidentally, Nigeria won the African Nations Cup that year.
FIFA is left out of this controversy. In 2000 Zinedine Zidane was crowned the best player in the world by FIFA over Luis Figo who had been crowned the best player in Europe. In 2001 Luis Figo became the best player in the world and Michael Owen became the best player in Europe. Many football critics believed that Michael Owen performed better than Luis Figo who won no trophy whereas Owen had won three trophies.
These discrepancies forced FIFA to merge both the European player of the year with FIFA player of the year. Now we have only one player of the year called the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
This hasn’t stopped controversies. In 2010 – critics were outraged when Wesley Sneijder – didn’t even make the short list that year. Sneijder had won five trophies, scored five goals in the World Cup that year which contributed to his country Holland being runner’s up to eventual winners Spain and had been voted the second best player in the tournament.
Lionel Messi who had won only one trophy that year and had a very poor tournament by his usual high standards was voted the best player in the world that year.
In 2013 Frank Ribery who had won five trophies that year was voted third and the main prize was given to Christiano Ronaldo who hadn’t won a trophy that year.
Could CAF and FIFA look along the lines of implementing stringent rules to the types used by the South American federation and give us rancour free awards?
- Essien Idiong,
Port Harcourt.
