FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL – Marc-Vivien Foé Prize: Gaël Kakuta, first Lensois and sacred Congolese

Gaël Kakuta was voted best African player in the French Football Championship (Ligue 1), on 17 May 2021. In the standings, the 29-year-old offensive midfielder is ahead of forwards Andy Delort (Montpellier HSC/Algeria) and Tino Kadewere (Olympique Lyonnais/Zimbabwe). He is the first player from RC Lens and the RD Congo national team to win the Marc-Vivien Foé Prize, awarded by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24.
Gaël Kakuta will celebrate his 30th birthday on 21st June. But the attacking midfielder will receive a birthday present a little in advance: the Marc-Vivien Foé Award 2021. He was voted best African player in the French Football Championship (Ligue 1) under the colours of the RC Lens. A training club in which he returned in July 2020, after having played in five other championships (England, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, China) and eleven other teams, since his departure in 2007.
This trophy rewards the excellent performances of Gaël Kakuta, author of 11 goals and 5 assists in 34 Ligue 1 matches, but also the beautiful season of Lens, which was still in second division in 2020.
A special coronation
Gaël Kakuta succeeds two players from neighbouring and rival LOSC, Nicolas Pépé in 2019 and Victor Osimhen in 2020. The one who was born in Lille but feels deeply Lens is the first Artesian to receive this distinction which bears the name of an old local icon, Marc-Vivien Foé. The Cameroonian midfielder, who died brutally on 26 June 2003 in Lyon, had been French champion with the Sang et Or in 1998.
This consecration is even doubly special since Gaël Kakuta is also the first Congolese winner of this Prize created in 2009 by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and awarded with France 24 since 2011. A victory that is all the more symbolic since the player has long been considered a great hope for French football, before joining the Leopards in 2017.
Lens midfielder Gaël Kakuta (c) congratulated by his teammates after his goal against Bordeaux at the Bollaert stadium on September 19, 2020
Lens midfielder Gaël Kakuta (c) congratulated by his teammates after his goal against Bordeaux at the Bollaert stadium on 19 September 2020 AFP/Archives
Andy Delort second
We will have to wait, however, for an Algerian to impose himself. In this 2021 edition, Montpellier striker Andy Delort finished second with 118 points, behind Gaël Kakuta’s 219 points. OL’s Zimbabwean forward Tino Kadewere is third with 70 points.
Just behind him, the gap is very close between four other players including another Lensois: Seko Fofana. The Ivorian midfielder is 7th with 58 points. Karl Toko-Ekambi, winner in 2018, finishes 8th with 58 points.
MARC-VIVIEN FOÉ 2021 AWARD: THE RANKING
1. Gaël Kakuta (RC Lens/RD Congo): 219 points
2. Andy Delort (Montpellier HSC/Algeria): 118 points
3. Tino Kadewere (Olympique Lyonnais/Zimbabwe): 70 points
4. Boulaye Dia (Stade de Reims/Senegal): 69 points
5. Idrissa Gueye (Paris Saint-Germain/Senegal): 62 points
6. Farid Boulaya (CF Metz/Algeria): 60 points
7. Seko Fofana (RC Lens/Côte d’Ivoire): 58 points
8. Karl Toko-Ekambi (Olympique Lyonnais/Cameroun): 32 points
9. Reinildo Mandava (LOSC/Mozambique): 21 points
10. Alexandre Oukidja (FC Metz/Algeria): 7 points
11. Nayef Aguerd (Stade Rennais/Maroc): 4 points
MARC-VIVIEN FOÉ AWARD: THE AWARDS
2021: Gaël Kakuta (RC Lens/RD Congo)
2020: Victor Osimhen (LOSC/Nigeria)
2019: Nicolas Pépé (LOSC/Côte d’Ivoire)
2018: Karl Toko-Ekambi (Angers SCO/Cameroon)
2017: Jean Michaël Seri (OGC Nice/Côte d’Ivoire)
2016: Sofiane Boufal (LOSC/Morocco)
2015: André Ayew (Olympique de Marseille/Ghana)
2014: Vincent Enyeama (LOSC/Nigeria)
2013: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (AS Saint-Etienne/Gabon)
2012: Younès Belhanda (Montpellier HSC/Morocco)
2011: Gervinho (LOSC/Côte d’Ivoire)
2010*: Gervinho (LOSC/Côte d’Ivoire)
2009*: Marouane Chamakh (Girondins de Bordeaux/Maroc)
*The trophy was not yet called the Marc-Vivien Foé Award.
MARC-VIVIEN FOÉ AWARD: INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
The Prix Marc-Vivien Foé 2021 rewards the best African player of the French First Division Championship (Ligue 1) 2020-2021. Eligible players are Ligue 1 players who have represented an African national team in an official match and have not changed their sports nationality since.
The winner was chosen after a vote organized by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24 with a panel of specialised journalists, consultants and football players.Eighty-one people spoke out for this thirteenth edition.
Source : RFI
A LA UNE
CÔTE D’IVOIRE – Robert Beugré Mambé reassured after an infrastructure visit

Yamoussoukro, December 26, 2023- After an impregnation visit of the Charles Konan-Banny stadium in Yamoussoukro, Tuesday, December 26, 2023, the Prime Minister, Minister of Sport and Living Environment, Robert Beugré Mambé, said reassured. The stadium, he said, is ready to host Group C matches from Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea and The Gambia.
‘What we have seen is reassuring. Technically, from the equipment point of view, we are ready at the Yamoussoukro stadium. But we will remain vigilant until the end,” said Robert Beugré Mambé.
The Prime Minister called for on-call teams to be set up in all sectors. We will have specialists permanently because Côte d’Ivoire wants to be up to date, in all circumstances, with the expected benefits of this great country. We have given indications that vigilance is needed,’ insisted the Head of Government.
For this visit, which is part of the visits of infrastructure related to the CAN 2023, the Vice-President of the Republic, Tiémoko Meyliet Koné, accompanied by the Prime Minister and other members of the government, visited the host infrastructure, in particular the President’s Hotel where official delegations will stay.
CAN 2023 is scheduled from January 13 to February 11, 2024 in Côte d’Ivoire with 24 teams.
CICG
FOOTBALL
CÔTE D’IVOIRE – Partenariat: La FIF et le Groupe Carré D’Or ensemble pour la promotion du football Ivoirien

La Fédération Ivoirienne de Football (FIF) et le Groupe Carré D’Or ont conclu, ce vendredi 8 décembre 2023 à Novotel Plateau, un accord de partenariat en vue du développement du football en Côte d’Ivoire.
Leader de l’agro-industrie en Côte d’Ivoire depuis la fin des années 90, le Groupe Carré D’Or vient de s’ajouter à la liste des entreprises citoyennes partenaires de la Fédération Ivoirienne de Football (FIF) dans sa mission de développer le football en Côte d’Ivoire. Ce vendredi en effet, à Novotel Plateau, son Directeur Exécutif M. Khalil Ezzedine et le Président de la FIF M. Yacine Idriss Diallo, ont paraphé devant une parterre d’invité constitué de chefs d’entreprises, de légendes du football Ivoirien, de dirigeants sportifs et des médias, un accord de partenariat.
« Au Groupe Carré D’Or, nous avons une politique sportive très développée. Depuis plusieurs années en effet, nous partageons notre passion du port avec les Ivoiriens, sur le plan organisationnel et du sponsoring. Pour nous, sceller un partenariat avec la FIF un fait naturel. Nous sommes donc heureux de soutenir les Éléphants et dans le même temps le championnat national. C’est un réel plaisir de nous associer à la FIF dans sa mission de développement du football en Côte d’Ivoire et à participer à l’encadrement de la jeunesse Ivoirienne », explique le patron du Groupe Carré d’Or.
Pour sa part, le Président de la FIF, M. Yacine Idriss Diallo s’est réjouit de cette union avec le Groupe Carré d’Or.« Notre mission est d’encadrer la jeunesse à travers la mise en place d’une organisation efficiente pour que le football ivoirien aille de l’avant. Et donc dans cette mission là, avoir à ses côtés des entreprises symboliques comme le Groupe Carré d’Or est une fierté et une grande joie pour nous. Nous allons faire tout pour que ce partenariat soit de qualité, qu’il soit gagnant-gagnant sur l’ensemble des produits qui vont être utilisés. Le Groupe Carré d’Or sera donc à nos côtés en partie avec les Éléphants mais aussi sur la Ligue 1 et d’autres activités de la fédération. C’est donc une grosse satisfaction pour nous », reconnaît le Président de la Fédération Ivoirienne de Football.
FOOTBALL
FAILURE OF THE ELECTION OF THE FEGUIFOOT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – Guinea risks missing CAN 2023

The election of the members of the executive committee of the Guinean Football Federation, convened by the Standardization Committee on November 26, 2023, did not take place due to a lack of quorum. This election was therefore postponed to a later date.
The FIFA envoy invites Guinean football players to put aside their disagreements and make compromises for the happiness of football lovers. “Let’s put the egos aside, think about Guinean football, think about the journalists who live off it. Let’s compromise and move forward,” said Gelson Fernandes.
According to the FIFA Special Envoy, it is up to Guinea to deal with this problem. “Guinea is master of its own destiny. We will give our position. Guinea chooses which federation it wants to be in. The ball is in Guinea’s court. If she wants to move forward we will help her, but the ball is not in the CAF’s or FIFA’s court,” he suggested.
Referring to the failure to elect the members of the Executive Committee, Gelson Fernandes acknowledged that this is a serious situation and said he regretted the consequences it could have on the Syli as the CAN approaches which will take place in January-February 2024 in Côte d’Ivoire.
Finally, he invited Guinean football players to put their ego aside to allow Guineans to continue to live their passion to the full.
The term of the current Standards Committee is set for 30 November 2023. Guinean football is waiting.
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