Eto'o is looking to win the Caf award for a fourth time

Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba, Ghana's Michael Essien and Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o have been shortlisted for the 2009 Caf African Footballer of the Year award.

All three footballers played vital roles in their countries qualifying for June's World Cup in South Africa.

Samuel Eto'o has already won the award three times from 2003-2005.

Drogba took the honour in 2006, but his Chelsea team-mate Essien has been nominated four times, but never won.

Drogba was named 2009 BBC African Footballer of Year in January.

TP Mazembe captain Tresor Mputu Mabi has been rewarded with a nod in the Best African player on the continent category.

Mputu was a key performer as the DR Congo club won their first African Champions League title in almost 40 years.

Tresor Mputu Mabi's nomination in one of three for Mazembe

The 23-year-old was also named player of the tournament at the inaugural African Nations Championship (CHAN), the new tournament for home-based players.

Nigerian Uche Agba who plays for Heartland and Algerian Abdelmalek Ziaya who plys his trade for Entente Setif are nominated alongside Mputu in that category.

TP Mazembe's French coach Diego Garzitto was also nominated.

He's been shortlisted for Coach of Year alongside Ghana's Under-20 World Cup winning coach Sellas Tetteh.

John Obuh who coached the Nigeria under-17 team to the final of the World Cup rounds up the list.

Algeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana go head to head for the National Team of the Year award.

While Mputu's TP Mazembe go up against their fellow Champions League finalists, Heartland of Nigeria and African Confederation Cup winners Stade Malien in the Club of the Year catergory.

The top scorer at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt, Dominic Adiyiah of Ghana is up for Young Player of the Year.

His rivals for that honour are Kermit Erasmus of South Africa and Nigeria's Sani Emmanuel.

The Caf Awards Gala will take place on 11 March in Accra.

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