CAF has announced the finalists for the 2018 Men and Women’s Player of the Year.

Mohamed Salah will defend his title against team-mate at Liverpool Sadio Mane and Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The three players also finished in the top 3 in 2017.

Salah is likely to retain the award following a great campaign in 2018 which saw him playing a critical role when his team reached the Uefa Champions League. He also led his country, Egypt at the Fifa World Cup held in Russia.

Mane, on the other hand, also had a great year, playing for Senegal at the World Cup while Gabonese Aubameyang, hit the form upon his arrival in England in January and is the current Premier League’s joint top scorer.

South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana made it into the final three in the women’s category alongside the Nigerian duo of Asisat Oshoala and Francisca Ordega.

The winners will be unveiled at the Awards Gala on 8 January 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.