Ghana’s Michael Essien and his Chelsea's teammate Didier Drogba stand between Samuel Eto'o and a record-equalling third African footballer of the year title when the 2005 award is announced in Abuja, Nigeria on Thursday.

If successful, Barcelona and Cameroon striker Eto'o will emulate the feat of Ghana's Abedi Pele, who won the award from 1991-93.

Drogba of the Ivory Coast and Ghanaian Essien, who helped their respective countries to a first-ever FIFA World Cup finals appearance this year, present credible alternates to the 2003 and 2004 winner.

The result will be announced at the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) annual awards banquet.

The votes from coaches of the continent's national teams were compiled last December, ahead of the CAF African Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Eto'o was nominated on the basis of his performances in Spain, where he helped Barcelona win the league title.

But at national team level, he was part of a Cameroon side that failed to qualify for Germany.

Nine goals for Drogba in FIFA World Cup qualification, plus success at club level with Chelsea in the English Premier League and League Cup, has offered the voters a strong alternative.

Essien, who won the French Ligue 1 title with Olympique Lyon before his African record transfer move to Chelsea in August, also scored vital goals for Ghana as they won their FIFA World Cup qualifying group in October.

Also in the reckoning for an award is Black Queens striker, Adjoa Bayor, who is gunning for her second Female Player of the Year award.