Omanghana
Ghanaian midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi has been named on the 10-man shortlist for the 2026 CAF Men’s Young Player of the Year award after an impressive year for club and country.
The 20-year-old Coventry City player is Ghana’s sole nominee in the category. The winner will be announced at the CAF Awards in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, December 7, 2026.
World Cup Breakthrough
Yirenkyi made a memorable impact at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring in the 95th minute to give Ghana a 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening match.
He featured in all four of the Black Stars’ games as Ghana advanced to the Round of 32, where they were eliminated by Colombia.
Club Success and Coventry Move
Before his World Cup breakthrough, the Right to Dream Academy graduate enjoyed a strong 2025/26 season with Danish club FC Nordsjælland. He scored two goals and provided six assists in 30 league appearances and was named the Danish Superliga’s Young Player of the Year.
His performances earned him a move to Premier League side Coventry City in August 2026. The club-record deal was reported to involve an initial €27 million, with a further €3 million in potential add-ons.
CAF Young Player of the Year Nominees
Yirenkyi faces competition from nine other players. The clubs below are listed as they appeared in CAF’s announcement.
| Player | Country | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Caleb Yirenkyi | Ghana | Coventry City |
| Ibrahim Maza | Algeria | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Christian Kofane | Cameroon | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Christ Inao | Côte d’Ivoire | Fiorentina |
| Yan Diomande | Côte d’Ivoire | Real Madrid |
| Hamza Abdelkarim | Egypt | Barcelona |
| Ismael Kamissoko | Mali | Étoiles Mandé |
| Abdellah Ouazane | Morocco | Ajax |
| Ayoub Bouaddi | Morocco | Manchester City |
| Ibrahim Mbaye | Senegal | Aston Villa |
Ghana will also be represented in the Men’s Player of the Year category by Yirenkyi’s Black Stars teammate Antoine Semenyo.
Source: Omanghana
