( CNN ) -- Cameroon striker Samuel Eto ' o will be seeking to win a record fourth African Player of the Year award after being named in the final shortlist of five for the 2009 title . The Inter Milan player will be up against 2006 winner Didier Drogba and the Chelsea forward 's Ivory Coast teammate Yaya Toure , Ghana midfielder Michael Essien and Seydou Keita of Mali . Last season Eto ' o helped Spanish and European champions Barcelona to an unprecedented treble of titles , along with his former clubmates Toure and Keita . The Inter Milan player also helped Cameroon to qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa , having missed out on the 2006 tournament in Germany . The 28-year-old previously won the award in 2003 , 2004 and 2005 , joining George Weah and Abedi Pele as the only players to have triumphed three times . Drogba and his clubmate Essien both also helped their countries to qualify for the World Cup finals , and won the English FA Cup with Chelsea as well as finishing third in the Premier League . Essien has finished in the top three every year since 2005 , being runner-up to Frederic Kanoute in 2007 . Last year , when he was hampered by injuries , was the only time that Drogba has not figured in the top three since 2003 . Keita is the nephew of former winner Salif Keita . The award ceremony will take place on February 25 in Dakar , Senegal , a month after the African Cup of Nations takes place in Angola .
Cameroon striker Samuel Eto ' o in contention to win record fourth African Player of Year award . Inter Milan player named in shortlist of five after his heroics with former club Barcelona . He is up against former teammates Yaya Toure and Seydou Keita . Ghana midfielder Michael Essien and 2006 winner Didier Drogba also in the running .