(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.
who is on a shortlist? Who else is in the running? African Player award may go to? which club was he playing in? who is he against? Who is he up against?
Samuel Eto'o Yaya Toure, Samuel Eto'o Inter Milan Didier Drogba and the Chelsea forward's Ivory Coast teammate Yaya Toure, Ghana midfielder Michael Essien and Seydou Keita of Mali. Didier Drogba
question: who is on a shortlist?, answer: Samuel Eto'o | question: Who else is in the running?, answer: Yaya Toure, | question: African Player award may go to?, answer: Samuel Eto'o | question: which club was he playing in?, answer: Inter Milan | question: who is he against?, answer: Didier Drogba and the Chelsea forward's Ivory Coast teammate Yaya Toure, Ghana midfielder Michael Essien and Seydou Keita of Mali. | question: Who is he up against?, answer: Didier Drogba