For the second year, Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was announced as one of three finalists for the Africa player of the year award. The other two finalists are his fellow teammate in Liverpool Sadio Mane from Senegal and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Ghana.
All three finalists were shortlisted last year.
The Confederation of African Football announced the finalists on Tuesday from an original list of 34 players. The winner will be announced on Jan. 8 in Dakar, Senegal.
Salah is the current holder of the award after his goals played a large part in helping Liverpool reach the Champions League final in 2018.
After a slow start to the season following the World Cup, Salah is hitting top form for Liverpool. He scored the winner against Napoli in December to send Liverpool through to the last 16 of the Champions League at the Italian club's expense.
This is the fifth straight nomination for Aubameyang, who won in 2015.
Aubameyang scored his 14th goal of the Premier League season Tuesday in Arsenal's 4-1 win against Fulham, putting him one clear of Salah ahead of Liverpool's match at Manchester City on Thursday.
Salah is challenging Aubameyang and Tottenham's Harry Kane at the top of the scoring charts in the Premier League.
Mane, who was third in 2016, is looking to becoming the first Senegalese winner of the trophy since forward El Hadji Diouf took the 2002 award.
