The Confederation of African Football (CAF) African Player of the Year nomination list is finally out.
Given the fact that the Harambee Stars qualified for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt, there was the expectation that at least one Kenyan footballer would make it to the shortlist.
Michael Olunga and Johanna Omollo were excellent in that AFCON campaign.
Unfortunately, no single Kenyan player has made it to that elite list of the titans of African football.
The list is littered, instead, with the names of players from North and West Africa.
Only Tanzania's Mbwana Samata and Uganda's Dennis Onyango made it to the list from East Africa.
Here is the list as provided by CAF.
1. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund)·
2. André Onana (Cameroon & Ajax)
3. Baghdad Bounedjah (Algeria& Al-Sadd)
4. Carolus Andriamatsinoro (Madagascar & Al Adalah)
5. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
6. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Cameroon & Paris Saint-Germain)
7. Ferjani Sassi(Tunisia & Zamalek)
8. Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax)
9. Idrissa Gueye (Senegal & Paris Saint-Germain)
10. Ismail Bennacer (Algeria & AC Milan)
11. Jordan Ayew (Ghana & Crystal Palace)
12. Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli)·
13. Kodjo Fo Doh Laba (Togo & Al Ain)
14. Mahmoud Hassan"Trezeguet" (Egypt & Aston Villa)
15. Mbwana Samatta (Tanzania & Genk)
16. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
17. Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto)
18. Naby Keita (Guinea & Liverpool)
19. Nicolas Pepe (Côte d'Ivoire & Arsenal)
20. Odion Ighalo (Nigeria & Shanghai Shenhua)
21. Percy Tau (South Africa & Club Brugge)
22. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal)
23. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
24. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)·
25. Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance)
26. Thomas Teye Partey (Ghana & Atlético Madrid)
27. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Lille)
28. Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria & Leicester City)
29. Wilfried Zaha (Côte d'Ivoire & Crystal Palace)
30. Youcef Belaili (Algeria & Ahli Jeddah)