According to AS, two Real Madrid players have been nominated for the African Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards, respectively.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the shortlists for the African Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards, with Real Madrid's Brahim and Yan Diomande both included. The two are also strong contenders to win their respective awards. The Coach of the Year shortlist has been released as well, with Bubista, who led Cape Verde to an impressive showing at the 2026 World Cup, among the most favored candidates.
Brahim could also lift the trophy after winning the Africa Cup of Nations by administrative decision. The CAF Appeals Committee overturned Senegal's title on the grounds of forfeiture, as Senegal's players walked off the pitch in the final after a penalty was awarded to Morocco, which Brahim himself later missed. The other candidates for African Player of the Year are Amad Diallo Traore (Manchester United), Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Imad Saibari (Bayern), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Sarr (Crystal Palace), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Mané (Al Nassr) and Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns).
Yan Diomande is also on the shortlist for Young Player of the Year. The Ivorian performed exceptionally well last season at RB Leipzig and has continued that form at Real Madrid. This season, the winger has already contributed four goals and four assists in 14 appearances. The shortlist also includes Barcelona's Hamza Abdelkarim, as well as Ayyoub Bouaddi (Manchester City), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen), Christian Kofane (Bayer Leverkusen), Christ-Emmanuel Faitout Maouassa (Fiorentina), Caleb Yirenkyi (Coventry City), Ismael Camisoko (Osasuna), Abdoulaye Wazan (Ajax) and Mbaye (Aston Villa).
Cape Verde were the dark horses of the last World Cup, advancing from a group that included Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, and even coming close to eliminating Argentina in the Round of 32. That performance earned Bubista a nomination for African Coach of the Year. The other candidates are Ramin Ndiaye (Algiers), Sébastien Desabre (DR Congo), Hossam Hassan (Egypt), Motamed Gamal (Zamalek), Alexandre Santos (Petro de Luanda), Mohamed Wahbi (Morocco), Walid Regragui (Morocco), Pape Thiaw (Senegal) and Miguel Cardoso (Sundowns).