The BBC announced the candidates for the 2015 African footballer of the Year at Kaizer Chiefs’ headquarters The Village this afternoon.

Algeria's Yacine Brahimi is on the shortlist along with Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ghanaian André Ayew, Senegal's Sadio Mané and Yaya Touré of Ivory Coast.

The winner will be decided by African football fans, who have until 30 November to vote for their choice.

“It’s fabulous that the BBC have decided to announce the nominees from the Village,” says Kaizer Chiefs Marketing Director Jessica Motaung. “This says a lot about African soccer and the standing Kaizer Chiefs have on the African continent. We feel honoured.”

Former Amakhosi player Bradley Carnell was invited by the BBC to comment on the announcement as well as former Bafana Bafana winger Delron Buckley. Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Kaizer Motaung Junior was also asked for his opinion on the African Footballer of the Year candidates.

Present Kaizer Chiefs stars Siphiwe Tshabalala and Tsepo Masilela were present too to give their viewpoint. Tshabalala is, of course, still well known to the listeners and the viewers of the BBC, thanks to scoring the opening goal of the 2010 World Cup.

Chairman Kaizer Motaung was hosting the BBC crew at the Village.

The Algerian Brahimi won the BBC African Footballer of the Year award in 2014.

Amakhosi’s left-back Masilela feels that this year the Gabonese striker Aubameyang makes the best chance to win. “He has been in great form this year for German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, scoring a lot of goals.”

Presenter Peter Okwoche stressed that the BBC African Footballer of the Year award is given “to a player who won thanks to people voting. This is unlike the CAF Footballer of the Year award, which is selected by officials. Meanwhile, our nominees are being selected by 46 African journalists.”

“We worked in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup,” adds Okwoche. “Since that time we have built an excellent relationship with Kaizer Chiefs, one of the biggest soccer clubs on the African continent. That’s how we decided that we should announce the candidates this year at the Village.”

The BBC have all combined (television, radio and website) a worldwide a following of about 250 million.

To finish it all off, Buckley, like Masilela, thinks that Aubameyang will win. “Although, as a former winger myself, I wouldn’t mind if Brahimi wins it again. He’s a special player, who helped Portuguese side Porto to reach their first Champions League quarter-final in six years.”

People can vote via an SMS from the phone to +44 7786 20 20 08 or via this website:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/african/afoty-vote/2015

Text 1 for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang


Text 2 for André Ayew


Text 3 for Yacine Brahimi


Text 4 for Sadio Mané


Text 5 for Yaya Touré

The winner will be announced on Friday afternoon, 11 December, during a special live broadcast on both BBC World News and BBC World Service, with the BBC Sport and BBC Africa websites also carrying the announcement.