France Football, the organisers of the Ballon d’Or, organised the Ballon d’Or Africain from 1970 till 1994 and the winner of that award was recognised as the African Footballer of the Year. In 1995 the magazine opened its main Ballon d’Or award to non-European players and discontinued the Ballon d’Or Africain.
CAF began awarding the African Footballer of the Year prize in 1992 and it continues to do so till this day.
France Football Ballon d’Or Africain
1970
1) Salif Keïta (Mali & Saint-Étienne)
2) Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast & ASEC Mimosas)
3) Ali Abo Greisha (Egypt & Ismaily)
1971
1) Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana & Asante Kotoko)
2) Robert Mensah (Ghana & Asante Kotoko)
3) François Ndoumbé (Cameroon & Canon Yaoundé)
1972
1) Chérif Souleymane (Guinea & Hafia)
2) Bwanga Tshimen (Democratic Republic of Congo & TP Mazembe)
3) Petit Sory (Guinea & Hafia)
1973
1) Bwanga Tshimen (Democratic Republic of Congo & TP Mazembe)
2) Kazadi Mwamba (Democratic Republic of Congo & TP Mazembe)
3) Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast & ASEC Mimosas)