BBC announces African Footballer of the Year shortlist

The nominees for the BBC's 2018 African Footballer of the Year have been announced.

The shortlist, which has been compiled by a panel of African football experts, comprises Medhi Benatia (Morocco), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal), Sadio Mane (Senegal), Thomas Partey (Ghana) and Mohamed Salah (Egypt).

The Liverpool striker won the award in 2017 after a year which saw him make an explosive start to life in England and lead Egypt to the World Cup.

On Saturday 17 November, the vote started at 7pm GMT and is set to close on Sunday 2 December, with the results due be announced on Friday 14 December at 17:30. 

Egypt and Liverpool striker Salah was the winner of the award last year, in a year that saw him switch from Serie A to the Premier League and lead his country to a first World Cup finals since 1990. 

The award's previous winners include; Nigeria's Jay-Jay Okocha, Ghana's Michael Essien, the Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, and Algeria's Riyad Mahrez.

Four of this year's five nominees played at this summer's World Cup in Russia, Benatia captained a Morocco side that drew 2-2 with Spain in the group stages and Koulibaly featured in every minute for Senegal as they narrowly failed to reach the last 16.

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane was also ever-present for Senegal in the group stage and also scored Liverpool's goal in their 3-1 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in the summer, whilst Salah scored both of Egypt's goals as they failed to qualify for the knockout stages. 

Atletico Madrid and Ghana defender Partey is the only player on the shortlist not to have played in Russia, but was a late substitute in the final as Diego Simeone's side won the Europa League with a 3-0 victory over Marseilles at the back end of last season.