FirstTouch’s Top 5 African Female Ballers of 2019

On the 7th of January 2020 in Egypt, Africa's football governing body CAF will announce the top women's player of the year. It's an accolade that has seen all its previous winners enjoy global success as they pushed for new frontiers and held the banner of African football with pride. Out of the shortlist of 10 women chosen by technology and media professionals, here at FirstTouch, we have picked our 5 leading candidates to claim the prize. In no particular order, they are as follows:

Han Peng #18 and Liu Shanshan #2 of China try to block Ajara Nchout #3 of Cameroon during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada Round 16 match between China and Cameroon at Commonwealth Stadium on June 20, 2015 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

(June 19, 2015 - Source: Todd Korol/Getty Images North America)

1. Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)

No better place to start than with the 3-time winner of the CAF Women's Footballer of the year. The 25-year old Nigerian international has become a legend all too quickly playing for the best teams in the best leagues around the world. Not least of her former employers include Arsenal, Liverpool and Dalian Quanjian in the Chinese Women's Super League. The year 2019 was probably not her best with Barcelona as the Spanish Primera Division side missed out on the league and UEFA Champions League honors. Perhaps her biggest goals of the year included one in Barcelona's only goal in a 1-4 final loss to Lyon in Champions League and another one against South Korea that helped Nigeria reach the round-of-16 of the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time in since 1999.

2. Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing BG Phoenix Rising)

After an unreal 2018 that left her by far the best player on the continent as she helped South Africa reach the FIFA Women's World Cup finals for the first time, Kgatlana didn't fold in 2019. The reigning CAF Best Player of the year made the move to Chinese side Beijing BG Phoenix Rising in February 2019 and has since scored 6 goals in her debut league appearance. The 23-year-old forward also scored South Africa's first and only goal of the World Cup in a group stages 1-3 loss to Spain.

3. Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning)

Africa keeps churning goal-scoring talents and Chawinga is the latest legend in the making. After becoming the first Malawian women's player to ply her trade in Europe, the 22-year-old has delivered performances worthy of being a pioneer. Short stints in Sweden saw her grab all the top goal scorer's awards she ever contested for and at times pipping the runner-up by a clear 14 goals. She has since made a move to China after a record transfer fee in Swedish football. The year 2019 was her second in the Chinese Women's Super League as she helped Jiangsu Suning to a treble and also bagged a treble of her own in terms of top goal-scoring accolades. Chawinga is the current top goal scorer in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualifiers and also retained the CSWL's golden boot after scoring 12 times in 14 league appearances, 4 goals ahead of the second-best. By reason of all this, she surely is the favorite to win Africa's top prize. It just looks like her reign has only started and could make the rounds in a few more years, world-wide.

Elizabeth Addo of Ghana looks on during the women's international friendly match between Germnay and Ghana at Benteler Arena on July 22, 2016 in Paderborn, Germany.

(July 21, 2016 - Source: Lars Baron/Bongarts)

4. Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga)

This name should be familiar to most. The Cameroonian international scored Cameroon's only 2 goals in their only victory over New Zealand at the 2019 FIFA World Cup in France. The Valerenga forward's brace was actually enough to send the Indomitable Lionesses into the round-of-16 where they eventually lost 3-0 to England under the spotlight of VAR controversies. Most excitingly, the 26-year-old was nominated for the 2019 FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of the year courtesy of her brilliant solo goal against New Zealand at the World Cup. She could be forgiven for then losing out to Lionel Messi on the accolade. The Indomitable Lionesses forward has also proven a clutch in her nation's pursuit of a 2020 Tokyo Olympics spot, scoring the decisive goal against DR Congo in the 3rd round. Cameroon are now in the playoffs finals against Zambia.

5. Elizabeth Addo (Ghana & Jiangsu Suning)

When they mention Chawinga in China, Addo's name usually comes after. The Black Queens captain is the Malawian's partner in crime at Jiangsu Suning. Elizabeth, 26, also aided the CWSL side's treble win with her 3 goals in 14 outings. She has been one of the best footballers on the continent for a while now, with club stints in Nigeria, Serbia, Hungary, Sweden, USA, and Australia. Addo also captained Ghana at the 2018 Africa Women's Cup of Nations and got listed in the tournament's best XI despite the host nation's failure to go past the group stages.

There you have it people, let us know if we missed anyone in the comment box below.