Three Senegalese players are in the running for the CAF Awards 2026, with Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace), Pape Gueye (Villarreal) and Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr). The ceremony is due to be held on 7 December in Lagos, with no winner yet named.
Senegal will be represented by three players at the CAF Awards 2026 ceremony, scheduled for 7 December in Lagos, reports EnQuête+. Forwards Ismaïla Sarr and Sadio Mané, along with midfielder Pape Gueye, are among the candidates, with no winner yet named.
Their profiles differ, but each arrives with a strong case: a European title and a prolific World Cup for the Crystal Palace forward, an individual award in La Liga and the title-winning goal in the AFCON 2025 final for the Villarreal midfielder, and a first Saudi Arabian league title for the Al-Nassr forward.
Sarr, from European glory to the World Cup
Ismaïla Sarr was part of Crystal Palace’s first European triumph in the Europa Conference League. According to EnQuête+, the Senegalese forward finished as the competition’s top scorer with 9 goals and was named the tournament’s best player.
He added 9 goals in the Premier League, for 20 in all competitions. At the 2026 World Cup, he scored 4 times, against France, Norway, Iraq and Belgium.
He finished as the tournament’s top African scorer. With 5 goals in total, he is also Senegal’s all-time leading scorer in the competition, again according to EnQuête+.
Gueye, La Liga and the 94th-minute goal
Pape Gueye stood out in the Villarreal shirt. He was voted best African player in La Liga 2025-2026, with a season of 5 goals in 30 matches, according to the same source.
At AFCON 2025, he scored the goal that sealed Senegal’s title in the final against Morocco in the 94th minute, before being named man of the match.
Mané, a first title in Saudi Arabia
Sadio Mané was named best player of AFCON 2025, after scoring the decisive goal in the semi-final against Egypt.
With Al-Nassr, he scored 10 goals and provided 6 assists in the Saudi Pro League, and claimed a first Saudi Arabian league title, EnQuête+ points out.