Cameroon's Samuel ETO'O won't be headed to the 2006 Men's World Cup [except as a spectator], but he has consolation of a sort with the 2005 African Player of the Year award. The prolific forward, who has already scored 18 goals this season for Barcelona, won the closest vote in the award's history. Eto'o totalled 108 points, with Didier DROGBA of Côte d’Ivoire second at 106 and Michael ESSIEN of Ghana third at 50. Other CAF awards included the Young Player of the Year [John Obi MICHEL, Nigeria], Female Player of the Year [Perpetua NKWOCHA, Nigeria], Coach of the Year [Stephen KESHI, Togo], and National Team of the Year [Côte d'Ivoire].

Brazil's RONALDINHO made it two years in a row as he collected the 2005 FIFA Men's World Player of the Year award. The tally was even more convincing than the recent Ballon d'Or vote, which also went Ronaldinho's way. This time, he earned 956 points to put away England's Frank LAMPARD [306 points] and Cameroon's Samuel ETO'O [190].

All five CAF second round groups were decided on SAT 08 OCT 2005. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of FRI 02-SUN 04 SEP 2005. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of SAT 18-SUN 19 JUN 2005. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of FRI 03-SUN 05 JUN 2005. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of SAT 26-SUN 27 MAR 2005. more...

On TUE 15 FEB 2005, the World won, figuratively as well as literally. RONALDINHO's World XI defeated Andriy SHEVCHENKO's European XI by a 6-3 scoreline at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. The match's most important number, of course, was the US$10,000,000 it was expected to pull in for the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Solidarity Fund, going toward efforts to rebuild football infrastructure in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and other nations struck by the tsunamis of SUN 26 DEC 2004. In the match, hometown hero Samuel ETO'O of Cameroon scored twice to put the World up 3-1 by halftime. Gianfranco ZOLA of Italy and David SUAZO of Honduras, a special European guest, then scored early in the second half to equalise. But Henri CAMARA of Senegal was quick to respond, with two goals in just five minutes.

Samuel ETO'O, Cameroon forward, won the 2004 African Player of the Year award, making it his second straight year receiving Africa's top honour. So far this season, he has scored 17 goals for his club, Spain's Barcelona, leading them to the top of the Primera Liga. Eto'o led the voting of CAF member nations with Didier DROGBA of Côte d’Ivoire in second and Jay-Jay OKOCHA of Nigeria in third. Tunisia's Ali BOUMNIJEL was selected as the Goalkeeper of the Year, with his nation's African Cup of Nations title earning them Team of the Year status. Nigeria's Obafemi MARTINS was the Young Player of the Year.

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of FRI 08-SUN 10 OCT 2004. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of FRI 03-SUN 05 SEP 2004. more...