Kadewere stares top award
WARRIORS and Lyon striker Tino Kadewere has inched closer to clinching the 2021 Marc-Vivien Foé award, a gong which recognises the best African player in the France Ligue 1.
Kadewere (25) has made the three-men shortlist for the award where he will rival Algerian Andy Delort who plays for Montpellier HSC and Lensois Gaël Kakuta of the Democratic Republic of Congo and is on RC Lens books.
France24 revealed the shortlist on Thursday.
“RFI and France24 unveiled on Thursday the names of the three finalists for the 2021 Marc-Vivien Foé prize, awarded to the best African player in Ligue 1. They are the Algerian Andy Delort (Montpellier HSC), the Zimbabwean Tino Kadewere (Olympic Lyonnais) and Congolese Gaël Kakuta (RC Lens),” the post read in part.
Kadewere was first nominated amongs the best 11 for the award in February and the winner of the prestigious award will be announced on May 17 after selection by a jury made up of close to 100 journalists specialising in French and African football.
The former Harare City attacker, who is the first Zimbabwean nominee for the honours, has banged in 10 goals and provided three assists for his side Lyon in the French Ligue 1.
Last year, the award was won by Nigerian Victor Osimhen, formerly with Lille OSC, but has moved to Napoli which in the Italian Serie A.
Kadewere was the top goal scorer the French Ligue 2 last season with Le Havre and according to France24: “the Zimbabwean was eagerly awaited by Lyon fans (from Le Harve). After a few weeks of adaptation, the young striker had a prolific winter. Above all, he entered the hearts of fans by offering victory to Lyon against rival SaintÉtienne and against PSG”.
Those nominated in the top 11 who did not make include
Kadewere’s teammate at Lyon, Karl Toko-Ekambi of Cameroon and former Everton midfielder Iddrisa Gana Gueye now at Paris Saint-Germain.
Toko-Ekambi clinched the award two years ago.
The other nominees who have also fallen by the wayside include Algerians Alexandre Oukidja and Farid Boulaya (Metz), Moroccan Nayef Aguerd (Rennes), Buolaye Dia of Senegal and plays for Reims, Ivorian Seko Fofana (Lens) and Reinildo Mandava of Mozambique who plays for Lille.
Kadewere’s Warriors teammate Marshal Munetsi, who plays for Reims, is the only other Zimbabwean currently plying their trade in the same league.
With four games remaining in the
French Ligue 1, the league title appears to be slipping away for Kadewere’s Lyon,
(albeit still with a chance), who could also miss out on an opportunity to participate in the
Uefa Champions League.
They are on position four with 67 points, six behind leaders Lille with PSG and Monaco mounting a fierce fight.
The Marc-Vivien Foé is in honour of the late Cameroonian player MarcVivien Foé, who collapsed and died during an international match in 2003.
Foé died on June 26,
3003 at the Gerland Stadium in Lyon during a Confederations Cup semi-final tie between Cameroon and Columbia.
The award has been running since 2011 and has previously been won by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal, Gervinho and Andre Ayew.
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