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Ismaïla Sarr emerges as leading contender for 2026 African Player of the Year award
via SeneNews1 min read
Ismaïla Sarr is positioned as the main contender for the African Player of the Year award, having scored 21 goals in the 2025-2026 season, equaling a modern-era record. His season included winning the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 with Senegal and the Europa Conference League with Crystal Palace. He was also the top African scorer at the 2026 World Cup. Sarr expressed his dream of winning the African Player of the Year award during his vacation in Saint-Louis. His collective achievements are notable, as he lifted the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 in Rabat with Senegal after a final against host Morocco, and secured Crystal Palace's first European trophy, the Europa Conference League, by defeating Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig. These two major titles across two continents in a single season are often prioritized by the award's jury, which comprises coaches, captains, and journalists from the continent.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
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