Ghana midfielder, Michael Essien has been voted by pollsters on the Ghana Football Association’s official website as Africa’s best contender to win the World Player of the Year award.

Polling lasted for a month after starting on October 15 and was ended November 15.

The poll afforded visitors the opportunity to vote for which of the three - Essien and his Stamford Bridge teammate, Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast and Cameroon’s Samuel Eto Fils, they considered as Africa’s likely contender to win the world award.

The three African stars are the only players from the continent on the 30-man shortlist vying for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award.

The poll had 1,610 votes recorded at the end of the period as Michael Essien pulled 1081 of the total votes cast representing 67 percent.

His Stamford Bridge teammate, Didier Drogba had 19 percent and came second with 307 votes while reigning African Footballer of the Year, Samuel Eto Fils had 222 votes being 14 percent of the votes cast.

The three African players are in the hunt for the award, which Brazilian Ronaldinho is aiming to win for a record-tying third time.

The 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.

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

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


NB: The result of the poll is the sampled views of visitors to the website and does not affect the outcome of FIFA’s selection process in naming the World’s Best player.