Drogba shortlisted for African player of the year

Five players were on Friday announced as contenders for African player of the year, including the Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba, who helped guide Chelsea to the Champions League trophy. Drogba, now at Shanghai Shenhua in China, and compatriot Yaya Toure, of English champions Manchester City, join Senegal's Demba Ba, of Newcastle United, Marseille's Ghana forward Andre Ayew and Cameroon's Alexandre Song, of Barcelona on the list. The five were selected from a long-list of 10 players, the president of Ghana's football federation, Kwesi Nyantakyi, who also sits on the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), told a news conference. The ceremony for the African "ballon d'or", run by the CAF, is due to take place in the Ghanaian capital on December 20. Drogba took the title in 2006 and 2009 while Toure won in 2011.