The African Player of the Year award was voted in the end of 1982 and, as usually is, favoured those appearing at the last big international competition – the World Cup, in this case. And the results were fairer than usual, for Algeria and Cameroon played more than well at the world finals. Lakhdar Belloumi (Algeria) was voted third and he was the only top player still stationed in Africa – GC Mascara. Second was his compatriot Sallad Assad, playing for Mulhouse (France).
Thomas N’Kono was voted best, getting 83 points – 29 more than Assad, Hardly anybody could argue the fairness of the vote: N’Kono was voted 3rd in 1979, number one in 1979, and 2nd in 1980. The world ‘discovered’ him at the World Cup, but the Cameroonian goalkeeper was already a star in Africa. His excellent performance at the world finals got him immediately European contract and at the time of the vote he was playing for Espanol (Barcelona).
Already charming the Spaniards with his skills and trade-mark training paints he ever used instead of shorts, N’Kono replaced the Belgian national team goalkeeper Theo Custers in Espanol and at 25, he had many years to play ahead of him. N’Kono won his second continental award, a rare achievement, which, given his age and the move to solid European club, suggested more awards in the future.