Dede named for Best African Player in France

Marseille midfielder Andre Ayew is the only Ghanaian named for the Best African Footballer in the French Ligue 1 this season.

This comes after the organisers of the Marc-Vivien Foe Award named 11 nominees for the top award held annually in France.

French media outlets RFI and France 24, who organise the award to honour the deceased former Cameroon international Marc-Vivien Foe, revealed their list on Tuesday.

The list is dominated by Tunisian players who have been excellent in the French top-flight this season with Toulpouse star Aymen Abdennour leading the pack from the North African country.

His compatriots Wahbi Khazri of Bastia as well as Evian star Saber Khelifa were named.

Two players who helped Burkina Faso to reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations were also included. Jonathan Pitroipa of Rennes and Lorient youngster Alain Traore were named.

Togo also had two nominees that include Kossi Agassa of Stade de Reims and Marseille’s Alaixys Romao.

The 11 candidates are fighting to succeed Morocco international Younes Belhanda who won the accolade last year.

The Marc-Vivien Foe Award was initiated in 2009 to honour the best African footballer in the French Ligue 1 during a season. Nominees for the 2013 edition

Aymen Abdennour (Tunisia, Toulouse) Kossi Agassa (Togo, Stade de Reims) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon, Saint-Etienne) Andre Ayew (Ghana, Olympique Marseille) Foued Kadir (Algeria, Olympique Marseille) Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia, Bastia) Saber Khelifa (Tunisia, Evian) Nicolas Nkoulou (Cameroun, Olympique Marseille) Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso, Stade Rennais) Alaixys Romao (Togo, Olympique Marseille) Alain Traore (Burkina Faso, FC Lorient)

Past Winners

2009 – Marouane Chamakh (Morocco, Bordeaux), 2010 – Gervinho (Ivory Coast, Lille – former club) 2011 – Gervinho (Ivory Coast, Lille – former club) 2012 – Younes Belhanda (Ivory Coast, Montpellier)