He stood out as Africa’s most impressive player during the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament as he powered Ghana into the quarter-finals where an eventful and dramatic game saw Uruguay prevail in a penalty shoot-out. Asamoah Gyan’s three goals and impressive performances saw him nominated for the World Cup Golden Ball award which was eventually won by La Celeste Olimpica’s Diego Forlan.
The Sunderland striker and ex-Rennes player has now been included in a 17-man list for Africa’s biggest individual honor, MTNfootball.com reported. He is one of the hot favorites to succeed Cote d’Ivoire and Chelsea’s Didier Drogba for the CAF African Player of the Year award. Gyan will also become the first Ghanaian to win the prize since Abedi Pele clinched it back in 1992.
The new Sunderland player is one of four player from Ghana to be in the 17-man list which will be cut into a 3-man list later on. Here are the nominees:
Prince Boateng (Milan AC/Ghana) 
Michael Essien (Chelsea/Ghana)
Asamoah Kwadwo (Udinese/Ghana)
Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland/Ghana)
Solomon Kalou (Chelsea/Ivory Coast)
Didier Drogba (Chelsea/Ivory Coast)
Gervinho (Lille/Ivory Coast)
Kolo Habib Touré (Manchester City/Ivory Coast)
Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City/Togo)
Marouane Chamakh (Arsenal/Morocco)
Seydou Keita (FC Barcelona/Mali)
Frédéric Kanouté (FC Sévilla/Mali)
Victor Nsofor Obinna (Inter Milan, on loan to West Ham/Nigeria)
Steven Pienaar (Everton/South Africa)
Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan/Cameroon)
Madjid Bougherra (Rangers/Algeria)
Mohamed Zidan (Dortmund/Egypt)
Asamoah Gyan has already scored twice for Sunderland in four appearances, and he is ready to help the Black Cats embarrass Red Devils Manchester United in the English Premier League this weekend. Sunderland host Manchester United on Saturday at the Stadium of Light where they held Arsenal 1-1 a couple of weeks ago.
Don’t miss the Sunderland vs Manchester United English Premier League match!
