2023 Ghana Football Awards nominees: Kudus, Paintsil and Salis vie for the topmost prize

Black Stars trio Mohammed Kudus, Joseph Paintsil and Abdul Samed Salis will vie for the ultimate prize at this year’s Ghana Football Awards.

This was revealed during the nominees’ announcement of the various categories on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

The nominees’ announcement which was done live on Joy Prime on Muti TV also threw up some interesting names in the over 15 competitive categories.

For the Footballer of the Year award which is the top award on the night, the three shortlisted players have been outstanding under the Year in Review and thus comes as no surprise that they have been rewarded with this recognition.

Kudus Mohammed was the star for Ghana at the World Cup in Qatar, he played 42 games, scored 18 goals and 6 assists for Ajax in all competitions this season and was Ghana’s top scorer at the World Cup with 2 goals in 3 games.

For Joseph Paintsil this season has had its fair share of lows especially missing out on the World Cup squad, nonetheless, he played 33 games and scored 17 goals and 12 assists which was the 3rd best in the Belgium league in terms of goal tally and the most by any Ghanaian player.

He only missed out on the league title on the final day of the season.

Abdul Samed Salis finished second in the French Ligue 1 with Racing Club De Lens. Played 32 league games and scored one goal. He also helped his club book qualification into the Champions League. He also featured in all 3 games in the world cup for the Black Stars.

Other big awards on the night will be the Home-based Footballer of the Year ( Men and Women), the Men’s Coach of the Year, Best African International and Best Club CEO in the Ghana League.

Other categories are the Odartey Lamptey Future Star Award, the Goalkeeper of the Year, and Team of the Year among many others.

There will also be special awards titled the ‘Living Legend’ Award and the ‘Thumps Up’ Award on the night.

The Ghana Football Awards has become the most anticipated football award scheme in the country.

This year’s event will happen on Sunday, June 25 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

It promises to be a night of glitz and glamour as stakeholders in the showbiz and football industry gather to reward excellence.

Below is the full list of nominees for each category

Men's Coach of the Year

-Ibrahim Tanko (Black Meteors/ Accra Lions)
-Johnson Smith (Nations FC)
-Evans Adotey (Medeama SC)

Women's Team Coach of the Year

-Joe Nana Adarkwa (Ampem Darkoa Ladies)
-Yusif Basigi (Hasaacas Ladies/ Princesses)
-Joseph Akemm Anyagre (Army Ladies)

Female Team of the Year
- Ampem Darkoa Ladies
- Hasaacas Ladies
- Black Princesses


Male Team of the Year
-Medeama SC
- Bechem United
- Bofoakwa Tano



Best African International

- Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Nigerian)
- Riyad Mahrez (Man City, Algerian)
- Mohammed Salah (Liverpool, Egyptian)
- Yassine Bounou (Sevilla, Morocco)



CEO of the Year

- Gifty Oware-Mensah (Berry Ladies)
- K Twumasi Dankwah (Nations FC)
- Moses Armah ( Medeama SC)


Goalkeeper of the Year

-Joseph Addo (Aduana FC)
-Felix Kyei (Medeama SC)
-Lawrence Ati Zigi (St Gallen)



Most Vibrant Club On Social Media

-Asante Kotoko
-Hearts of Oak
-Legon Cities
-Dreams FC
-Hasaacas Ladies

Goal of the Year

-Abdul Mugeese Zakaria: FC Ashdod v Hapoel Tel Aviv (25/02/23)
-Fiduos Yakubu: Hasaacas ladies v Essiam Socrates FC (25/02/23)
-Mohammed Kudus: Ajax v Rangers (07/09/22)
-Osman Bukari: Red Star v FK Partizan Beograd (31/08/09)
-Kamaldeen Sulemana: Southampton v Liverpool (28/0523)
-Thomas Partey: Arsenal v Spurs (01/10/22)
-Eric Zeze: Asante Kotoko v Aduana fc (23/04/2023)
-Yaw Yeboah: Nashville v Columbus Crew (29/05/23)



Home-based Footballer of the Year - MEN

- Hafiz Konkoni (Bechem United)
- Seidu Bassit (Accra Lions)
- Vincent Atinga (Medeama)
- Sampson Eduku (Tamale City)
- Abednego Tetteh (Bibiani Gold Stars)





Women's Footballer of the Year

-Stella Nyamekye (Dreamz)
-Mary Amponsah (Ampem Darkoa)
-Princess Owusu (Faboulous Ladies)
-Blessing Shine Agbomadzi (ASFAR,Morocco)
-Princella Adubea ( Kiryat GAT, Israel)



Home-based Footballer of the Year - Women

-Stella Nyamekye (Dreamz)
-Mary Amponsah (Ampem Darkoa)
-Comfort Yeboah (Ampem Darko)
-Princess Owusu (Faboulous Ladies)

Odartey Lamptey Future Star Award

-Ernest Appiah Nuamah (FC Nordjelland)
-Princess Owusu (Fabulous Ladies)
-Stella Nyamekye (Dreamz)



Footballer of the Year

-Kudus Mohammed (Ajax, Holland)
-Joseph Paintsil (Genk, Belgium)
-Abdul Samed Salis (RC Lens, France)