Joseph Paintsil, a winger for the Black Stars, has been nominated for Belgium’s coveted Ebony Shoe Award as a result of his outstanding performance in the Belgian Pro League.
The manager of the Belgium national team, coaches of league teams, sports journalists, and one or more distinguished jurors will cast votes for the award that is granted yearly to the greatest African or African-origin player in the Belgian League.
This season, the 25-year-old has been in outstanding form for his team, Genk, and has drawn praise from both football fans and analysts. He has been an important player for title-chasing Genk, with 12 assists and 15 league goals.
His team’s success in finishing first on the log at the end of the regular season and competing against four other teams in the Championship playoff has been much attributed to his abilities.
Paintsil will compete against four other candidates for the prized honor, including Mike Tresor Ndayishimiye of his Genk team, Bilal El Khannous of Morocco, and Emmanuel Gift Orban and Victor Boniface of Nigeria,’’ a report by GHANAsoccernet sighted by 1Family Radio indicated.
Former Black Stars defender Eric Addo is the only Ghanaian to have ever won the prize. He won it in 1998.
Tarik Tissoudali of Morocco currently holds the honor after defeating Paul Onuachu, a former colleague of Joseph Paintsil.
Source: 1Familyradio