Three Africans on FIFA World Player of the Year List

Three Africans made it onto FIFA's 30-player list for 2007 World Player of the Year.

Usual suspects all.

Strikers Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon and Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast as well as Ghana midfielder Michael Essien have all made the initial shortlist.

There are also three Africans on the list for the women's award for 2007: Adjoa Bayor from Ghana as well as Nigerian duo Christie George and Perpetua Nkwocha.

The list is drawn up by members of FIFA's technical committees and voted on by the coaches and captains of every national team.

The winner will be announced at FIFA's World Player Gala in Zurich on December 17th.

Good luck to our African friends!

Here's a rundown of all the nominated players:
Men's nominees (alphabetical order):
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy), Petr Cech (Czech Republic), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Deco (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Michael Essien (Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy), Steven Gerrard (England), Thierry Henry (France), Juninho (Brazil), Kaka (Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Frank Lampard (England), Rafael Marquez (Mexico), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Alessandro Nesta (Italy), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Franck Ribery (France), Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina), Ronaldinho (Brazil), Wayne Rooney (England), John Terry (England), Carlos Tevez (Argentina), Lilian Thuram (France), Fernando Torres (Spain), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), Patrick Vieira (France)

Women's Nominees (alphabetical order):
Nadine Angerer (Germany), Adjoa Bayor (Ghana), Cristiane (Brazil), Daniela (Brazil), Lisa de Vanna (Australia), Formiga (Brazil), Christie George (Nigeria), Ragnhild Gulbrandsen (Norway), Duan Han (China), Ariane Hingst (Germany), Jie Li (China), Kristine Lilly (USA), Renate Lingor (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria), Bente Nordby (Norway), Cathrine Paaske Sorensen (Denmark), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Un Suk Ri (North Korea), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Kelly Smith (England), Rebecca Smith (New Zealand), Ane Stangeland Horpestad (Norway), Kerstin Stegemann (Germany), Ingvild Stensland (Norway), Abby Wambach (USA)