Blackpool winger Stanley Matthews won the first Footballer of the Year award in 1948.
The former African Footballer of the Year has talked of playing in England or Italy.
The African Footballer of the Year picked up a hamstring injury playing against Spurs on 8 February.
Matias Fernandez, the 2006 South American Footballer of the Year, arrived after three lackluster campaigns at Portugal's Sporting.
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Last week, Gyan was crowned BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2010.
The sweeper returned to Germany and continued to perform - going on to be voted 1999 German footballer of the year.
His dazzling tally of goals for club and country earned him the prestigious European Footballer of the Year award in 1965.
Kanoute, one of the finalists for the 2007 BBC African Footballer of the Year award, is optimistic of the Eagles' chances.
The 1988 African Footballer of the Year made an immediate impact as he had two good chances within minutes of coming on.
The only other player to be honoured on Tuesday was Morocco's Mustapha El Haddaoui, who won the Footballer of the Century award.
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This year's Caf African Footballer of the Year has been will be chosen by the national coaches of the continent's 52 member associations.
Their squad includes former African women's Footballer of the Year Mercy Akide and her fellow American-based professional Florence Omagbemi, who will captain the side.
The foundation for another fine display for the seemingly invincible Super Falcons was a hat-trick from reigning African Footballer of the Year Perpetua Nkwocha.
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The two-time world footballer of the year began his career with Gremio at the age of 18, before moving to Paris St Germain in 2001.
He replaces 1978 African Footballer of the Year Abdul Razak who was sacked despite leading the club to their first league title in 10 years.
"Any player who is absent at its award ceremony will not be taken into consideration in placements of African footballer of the year, " it said.
The 1988 African Footballer of the Year told journalists that his management style has always been underpinned by a spirit of dialogue, reconciliation and inclusiveness.
He was named both British and European footballer of the year.
Ahmed Mido of Ajax was a member of the 2001 bronze winning side and is now in contention for the African Footballer of the year award.
The two-time African Footballer of the Year, who has scored four goals in two games for his new English Premiership club Portsmouth, is nursing an injury.
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The young footballer of the year picked up the ball outside the area before firing a stunning shot towards goal which narrowly shaved the near post.
Television cameras caught the reigning Caf African Footballer of the Year committing the act in the closing minutes of Barcelona's 2-1 victory over Bilbao at the Nou Camp.
This is not the first such incident in Nigeria with Okocha and Chukwu both failing to cast their votes in the Fifa 2004 World Footballer of the Year.
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Egypt coach Hassan Shehata brought on BBC African Footballer of the Year Mohamed Aboutrika and striker Mido to try and secure a winner but the game ended one-apiece.
Okocha, the current BBC African Footballer of the Year, is expected to lead the Super Eagles at the three-nation Unity Cup tournament in London, which starts on 29 May.
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Former World Footballer of the Year Kaka came closest to breaking the deadlock for the visitors, but saw his second-half free-kick brilliantly saved by home goalkeeper Juan Pablo Colinas.
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The former African and World Footballer of the Year told BBC Sport that his change of mind was prompted by the controversy over his eligibility to stand as a candidate.
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France Football, first published in 1946, organized the Ballon d'Or award for European footballer of the year until it was merged with FIFA's world player of the year award in 2010.
Okocha, who twice won the BBC African Footballer of the Year award, is urging the authorities to focus more on grassroots if they plan to return to the summit of African football.
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