A collection of Africa’s greatest players past and present will grace the 2024 CAF Awards which are to be staged in a glittering ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday, a celebration of the continent’s football heritage and its bright future.
The event, which will honour the best-performing players, coaches and teams this year, will be held at the Palais des Congrès from 19h00 local time (18h00 GMT/ 20h00 Cairo time/ 21h00 East African time).
The annual gala shines a spotlight on African football excellence over the previous 12 months, but the presence of Legends allows for reflection on our game that goes back much further.
Ex-Mali midfielder Seydou Keita played over 100 times for his country and was a star of the all-conquering FC Barcelona side between 2008 and 2012, collecting every piece of silverware on offer, including the UEFA Champions League twice.
Mohamed Zidan won back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations titles with Egypt in 2008 and 2010, and successive German Bundesliga trophies with Borussia Dortmund in 2011 and 2012, showcasing the flair of Egyptian football.
Victor Wanyama has been a stalwart of Kenyan football since bursting onto the scene more than 15 years ago, helping them to qualification for the 2019 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
Double Olympic 800-metres champion Caster Semenya, who brings her star quality from outside the world of football, will make her appearance at the event.
Former Cameroon goalkeeper Joseph Antoine Bell went to three FIFA World Cups with the Indomitable Lions in a 17-year international career after which he is regarded as one of the continent’s great glovemen.
Women’s football will be well represented too, with former South Africa striker Portia Modise, who scored 101 goals for her country, in attendance, along with ex-Ghana star Alberta Sackey and former Equatorial Guinea forward Genoveva Añonman.
Fabrice Akwa captained Angola to qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, a historic moment for football in the country, scoring the winning goal against Rwanda that took his side to the global showpiece event in Germany.
The 2024 CAF Awards are a chance to celebrate African unity and excellence, and Legends form a crucial part of that rich tapestry as those who have helped the game grow on the continent in the preceding decades.
