Nicolas Pepe believes Villarreal team-mate Pape Gueye would be a fully deserving winner of the 2026 African Ballon d’Or, choosing the Senegal midfielder ahead of fellow Ivory Coast international Yan Diomande.
The award will be presented in Lagos, Nigeria, on 7 December. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has not yet announced the nominees, but Pepe has already identified his preferred successor to Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi.
Speaking to DAZN, the Ivory Coast winger said Gueye’s performances for Villarreal and Senegal made him his leading candidate.
“If he wins it, it is totally deserved,” said Pepe, who is 31 and has won 59 caps for Ivory Coast, scoring 14 goals.
Gueye, 27, has made 48 appearances for Senegal and scored seven goals. Pepe highlighted the midfielder’s strong individual campaign with Villarreal during the 2025-2026 season, as well as his influential contribution to Senegal’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Gueye scored the only goal in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations before Senegal were stripped of the title by CAF, with the honour subsequently awarded to Morocco.
The former Marseille player also impressed during the 2026 World Cup. He scored twice and provided an assist in Senegal’s crucial group-stage victory over Iraq.
Gueye then produced another strong display in the round of 16, but was substituted before Senegal went on to lose to Belgium. The source described his replacement as inexplicable.
Should the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rule in Senegal’s favour in the dispute over the Africa Cup of Nations, Gueye would become the clear favourite for the African Ballon d’Or.
If the ruling goes against Senegal, Achraf Hakimi would be well placed to retain the award for a second successive year.
Pepe’s preference leaves Diomande, his Ivory Coast team-mate, without the public backing of one of the country’s senior internationals. The CAF shortlist, however, has yet to be released and the final decision will depend on the eventual nominees and the outcome of the Senegal case.
