Ghana and Chelsea’s Michael Essien gets nominated for another award, this time the midfielder is in the running for the European Footballer of the year award.

Essien together with three other African stars, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto'o Fils, Mali’s Mahamadou Diarra and Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba are the only four players from the continent among the 50 nominees for the 2006 European Footballer of the Year award.

The list of nominees for the prestigious Ballon d'or was published on Tuesday by France Football magazine.

Michael Essien has enjoyed an exceptional start to the Premiership and was also outstanding at the World Cup Finals in Germany for Ghana.

The winner will be decided by a panel of European journalists and unveiled on Monday 27 November.

Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho won last year with 225 points.

Liberian legend, George Weah is the only African to have won the most coveted individual award in European football.

In 1995, Weah was named World, African and European Footballer of the Year.

Meanwhile, Michael Essien is included in a 30-man shortlist for FIFA's World Player of the Year award.

Coaches and captains of every national team will be asked to choose their top three players.

FIFA will reveal the three with the most votes before announcing the winner in Zurich on December 18.

Essien and two other African stars - Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and Cameroon’s Samuel Eto'o are in the hunt for the award, which Brazilian Ronaldinho is aiming to win for a record-tying third time.