The CAF Awards is an annual ceremony organised by Africa’s football governing body to recognise the best-performing African players, clubs and coaches over the course of the year.
Since its introduction in 1992, several footballers have earned multiple nominations and finished among the leading contenders for the prestigious individual award.
The 2026 edition will return to Lagos, Nigeria, later in December, with several African stars earning nominations once again and adding to their previous appearances among the finalists. With the ceremony approaching, this article looks at the four African players who have finished in the top three of the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award the most times.
Didier Drogba (9 times)
Ivorian legend Didier Drogba tops the list of African footballers with the most podium finishes at the CAF Awards, having finished among the top three on nine occasions. Despite his impressive record, the former Chelsea striker won the award only twice. He finished second four times and came third on three occasions.
Drogba’s first three podium appearances came consecutively between 2003 and 2005, when he finished as runner-up on each occasion behind Cameroonian legend Samuel Eto’o.
He eventually claimed his first award in 2006 before winning it for a second time in 2009. His final podium appearance came in 2013, when he finished third behind Yaya Toure and Super Eagles legend John Mikel Obi.
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Samuel Eto’o (8 times)
Next on the list is Cameroonian legend Samuel Eto’o, who finished among the top three players at the CAF Awards eight times during his illustrious career. The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker holds the joint-record for the most CAF Men’s Player of the Year awards, with four wins alongside Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure.
Apart from his four victories, Eto’o finished second on two occasions and third twice. The former Cameroon international won three consecutive awards between 2003 and 2005 before claiming his fourth title in 2010.
His fourth victory came after an outstanding season with Inter Milan, where he played a key role in the Italian club’s historic treble-winning campaign.
George Weah (7 times)
Liberian great George Weah also features on the list, having secured seven podium finishes during his playing career. Weah, who remains the only African footballer to have won the prestigious Ballon d’Or, claimed the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award three times.
One of those victories came in 1995, the same year he made history by becoming the first and only African to win the Ballon d’Or. The former AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain forward also finished as runner-up four times, taking his total number of podium appearances to seven.
His last appearance among the top three came in 1996, when he finished behind Super Eagles icon Nwankwo Kanu in the final standings.
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Mohamed Salah (6 times)
Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah completes the list with six podium finishes at the CAF Awards. Salah is the only active player among the four footballers on this list and he still has the opportunity to increase his tally before bringing his playing career to an end.
The former Liverpool forward has won the prestigious individual award twice, claiming back-to-back victories in 2017 and 2018. He has also finished second on three occasions and third once, taking his total podium appearances to six.
His most recent podium finish came at the 2025 edition, where he finished second behind Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi.
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