His time will come - Agyemang-Badu backs Mohammed Kudus for future CAF Player of the Year

Ghanaian

Former Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu is optimistic that Mohammed Kudus will soon claim the African Player of the Year award.

Although Kudus had a stellar debut season in the Premier League, netting 14 goals and assisting six times, he was surprisingly left off the Confederation of African Football's ten-man shortlist for the accolade.

Agyemang-Badu expressed his disappointment

Read full articleat Kudus's omission but acknowledged the presence of many exceptional talents in African football over the past year. He stated, "I was hoping he would make the shortlist, but there were also many outstanding players who performed exceptionally well in Africa last year," during an interview with Flashscore.

He highlighted Kudus's youth and the numerous opportunities that lie ahead for him, saying, "Kudus is still young and has plenty of opportunities to be crowned Africa’s best. He just needs to stay focused, keep learning, and continue to grow. His time will come—it’s a marathon, not a sprint."

Kudus had an impressive first season with West Ham United after his transfer from Ajax Amsterdam for around €44.5 million, quickly establishing himself as a vital player for the team and attracting interest from top European clubs.

Despite the fact that no Ghanaian has won the African Player of the Year award since Abedi Ayew in 1992, Agyemang-Badu's faith in Kudus's abilities indicates that he may soon end this long-standing drought.