Ebony Shoe

File:CSKA-Loco_(3).jpg won the Ebony Shoe a record three times]]

The Ebony Shoe award (Dutch: Ebbenhouten schoen, French: Soulier d'ébène{{Cite web |url=http://www.lavenir.net/cnt/DMF20150511_00646878Un |title=premier trophée pour les Zèbres --"L'Avenier" |access-date=2015-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112630/http://www.lavenir.net/cnt/DMF20150511_00646878Un |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}) is a football award in Belgium given annually to the best African or African origin player in the Belgian Pro League. The jury is composed of the coaches of league clubs, the Belgium national team manager, sport journalists, and one or more honorary jurors.https://www.soulierdebene.be/

As of 2020, Mbark Boussoufa (3 wins), Daniel Amokachi (2 wins), Vincent Kompany (2 wins) and Dieumerci Mbokani (2) are the only players to have won the trophy more than once.

History

The Ebony Shoe was created in 1992 by Cerina de Rosen, Fely Samuna, Bernard Malaba Tshienda, Eugene Bunga and Moro Mukota in association with the African Culture Promotion. The reasoning for it was because it was felt by a number of African students in Belgium that football players of African origin were being overlooked for individual awards.{{Cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/08/05/the-ebony-shoe-and-the-belgian-lion/|title=The Ebony Shoe and The Belgian Lion |work=The Football Times |first=Stephen|last=Stratton|date=4 August 2017|accessdate=1 April 2025}} It was based upon the Golden Shoe award that already existed. Eligibility was determined as a player being born in Africa or being of African descent for those born outside of Africa. It also led to the inspiration of the creation of Le Lion Belge (Belgian Lion Award) by for the best player of Magrebian origin, also using a panel of journalists and honorary jurors to determine the winner. For a number of players, it is the first individual award they have received in their careers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lalibre.be/sports/football/2014/05/05/michy-batshuayi-recoit-le-soulier-debene-KAEUH5SDPZDJ7CODNWXZZB7XZM/|title=Michy Batshuayi reçoit le "Soulier d'Ebène" |date=29 March 2025|website=La Libre |language=French |accessdate=1 April 2025}}

Selection for the award is made by a panel of club managers from Belgium's top three divisions, the Belgium national football team manager as well as journalists, judges and honorary jurors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/61520655|title=Tarik Tissoudali: Morocco winger wins Belgium's Ebony Shoe|date=20 May 2022|accessdate=1 April 2025|publisher=BBC Sport}} The award is made in two parts. Three quarters of the way through a season, a vote is held to determine the five player shortlist with a second vote being held after the season has finished to decide which of the shortlisted players had won the Ebony Shoe.

In 2021, Paul Onuachu won the Ebony Shoe, becoming the first Nigerian to win it in 25 years while also winning the Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year and being the top scorer in Belgium.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/57398392|title=Paul Onuachu: Nigeria striker wins Ebony Shoe to complete awards hat-trick|date=8 June 2021|accessdate=1 April 2025|publisher=BBC Sport}} In 2023, La Tribune discussed which winner had the most impact, with Vincent Kompany and Mbark Boussoufa being named as the two that had.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/qui-est-le-meilleur-soulier-d-ebene-de-l-histoire-il-y-a-bagarre-dans-la-tribune-11201393|title=Qui est le meilleur Soulier d'Ebène de l'histoire ? Il y a bagarre dans La Tribune |language=French |website=RTBF|accessdate=1 April 2025}}

Winners

rowspan="2" \|Year ! colspan="2" \|Winner ! colspan="2" \|Second ! colspan="2" \|Third
class="wikitable sortable"
Player !Club !Player !Club !Player !Club
1992	{{flagathlete\|Daniel Amokachi\|NGA}}	Club Brugge	colspan="4" align="center" \|only the winner declared
1993	{{flagathlete\|Victor Ikpeba\|NGA}}	RFC Liège	{{flagathlete\|Chidi Nwanu\|NGA}}	Beveren	{{flagathlete\|Daniel Amokachi\|NGA}}	Club Brugge
1994	{{flagathlete\|Daniel Amokachi\|NGA}}	Club Brugge	{{flagathlete\|Jean-Jacques Missé-Missé\|CMR}}	Charleroi	{{flagathlete\|Roger Lukaku\|ZAI}}	Seraing
1995	{{flagathlete\|Godwin Okpara\|NGA}}	Eendracht Aalst	{{flagathlete\|Celestine Babayaro\|NGA}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Yaw Preko\|GHA}}	Anderlecht
1996	{{flagathlete\|Celestine Babayaro\|NGA}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Michel Ngonge\|ZAI}}	Harelbeke	{{flagathlete\|Jean-Claude Mukanya\|ZAI}}	Lommel
1997	{{flagathlete\|Émile Mpenza\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD\|1997}})	Mouscron	{{flagathlete\|Mbo Mpenza\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD\|1997}})	Mouscron	{{flagathlete\|Khalilou Fadiga\|SEN}}	Lommel
1998	{{flagathlete\|Eric Addo\|GHA}}	Club Brugge	{{flagathlete\|Souleymane Oularé\|GUI}}	Genk	{{flagathlete\|Khalilou Fadiga\|SEN}}	Club Brugge
1999	{{flagathlete\|Souleymane Oularé\|GUI}}	Genk	align=center colspan=4\|only the winner ranked; the rest of the top 5 unordered (Fadiga, Keita, É. Mpenza and M. Mpenza)
2000	{{flagathlete\|Hervé Nzelo-Lembi\|COD\|1997}}	Club Brugge	{{flagathlete\|Elos Elonga-Ekakia\|COD\|1997}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Souleymane Youla\|GUI}}	Lokeren
2001	{{flagathlete\|Mido\|EGY}}	Gent	{{flagathlete\|Hervé Nzelo-Lembi\|COD\|1997}}	Club Brugge	{{flagathlete\|Adékambi Olufadé\|TOG}}	Lokeren
2002	{{flagathlete\|Moumouni Dagano\|BFA}}	Genk	{{flagathlete\|Sambégou Bangoura\|GUI}}	Lokeren	{{flagathlete\|Ibrahim Kargbo\|SLE}}	RWDM
2003	{{flagathlete\|Aruna Dindane\|CIV}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Sambégou Bangoura\|GUI}}	Lokeren	{{flagathlete\|Paul Kpaka\|SLE}}	Germinal Beerschot
2004	{{flagathlete\|Vincent Kompany\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Aruna Dindane\|CIV}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Mbo Mpenza\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Mouscron
2005	{{flagathlete\|Vincent Kompany\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Sambégou Bangoura\|GUI}}	Standard Liège	{{flagathlete\|Aruna Dindane\|CIV}}	Anderlecht
2006	{{flagathlete\|Mbark Boussoufa\|MAR}}	Gent	{{flagathlete\|Ibrahim Salou\|GHA}}	Zulte Waregem	{{flagathlete\|Mohammed Tchité\|BDI}}	Standard Liège
2007	{{flagathlete\|Mohammed Tchité\|BDI}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Ahmed Hassan\|EGY}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Adékambi Olufadé\|TOG}}	Gent
2008	{{flagathlete\|Marouane Fellaini\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|MAR}})	Standard Liège	{{flagathlete\|Mbark Boussoufa\|MAR}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Mohamed Sarr\|SEN}}	Standard Liège
2009	{{flagathlete\|Mbark Boussoufa\|MAR}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Copa\|CIV}}	Lokeren	{{flagathlete\|Nana Asare\|GHA}}	Mechelen
2010	{{flagathlete\|Mbark Boussoufa\|MAR}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Romelu Lukaku\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Dorge Kouemaha\|CMR}}	Club Brugge
2011	{{flagathlete\|Romelu Lukaku\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Mohammed Tchité\|BDI}}	Standard Liège	{{flagathlete\|Mehdi Carcela\|MAR}}	Standard Liège
2012	{{flagathlete\|Dieumerci Mbokani\|COD}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Cheikhou Kouyaté\|SEN}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Mohammed Tchité\|BDI}}	Standard Liège
2013{{Cite news\|url = http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Jupiler_Pro_League/1.1628668\|title = Mbaye Leye wint de Ebbenhouten Schoen\|date = 13 May 2013\|publisher = sporza.be\|language = nl\|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140714142017/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Jupiler_Pro_League/1.1628668\|archive-date = 14 July 2014\|url-status = dead}}	{{flagathlete\|Mbaye Leye\|SEN}}	Zulte Waregem	{{flagathlete\|Cheikhou Kouyaté\|SEN}}	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Dieumerci Mbokani\|COD}}	Anderlecht
2014{{Cite news\|url = http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Jupiler_Pro_League/1.1958766\|title = Michy Batshuayi krijgt de Ebbenhouten Schoen\|date = 5 May 2014\|publisher = sporza.be\|language = nl\|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150518094553/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Jupiler_Pro_League/1.1958766\|archive-date = 18 May 2015\|url-status = dead}}	{{flagathlete\|Michy Batshuayi\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Standard Liège	{{flagathlete\|Hamdi Harbaoui\|TUN}}	Lokeren	{{flagathlete\|Paul-Jose M'Poku\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Standard Liège
2015{{Cite news\|url = http://sporza.be/permalink/1.2336594\|title = Neeskens Kebano wint de Ebbenhouten Schoen\|date = 11 May 2015\|publisher = sporza.be\|language = nl}}	{{flagathlete\|Neeskens Kebano\|COD}}	Charleroi	{{flagathlete\|Moses Simon\|NGA}}	Gent	{{flagathlete\|Chancel Mbemba\|COD}}	Anderlecht
2016	{{flagathlete\|Sofiane Hanni\|ALG}}	Mechelen	{{flagathlete\|Nana Asare\|GHA}}	Gent	{{flagathlete\|Frank Acheampong\|GHA}}	Anderlecht
2017	{{flagathlete\|Youri Tielemans\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Anderlecht	{{flagathlete\|Landry Dimata\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Oostende	{{flagathlete\|Sofiane Hanni\|ALG}}	Anderlecht
2018	{{flagathlete\|Anthony Limbombe\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Club Brugge	{{flagathlete\|Mehdi Carcela\|MAR}}	Standard Liège	{{flagathlete\|Ibrahima Seck\|SEN}}	Genk
2019{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48190382\|title=Tanzania's Mbwana Samatta wins Belgium's Ebony Shoe award\|work=BBC Sport \|date=7 May 2019}}	{{flagathlete\|Mbwana Samatta\|TAN}}	Genk	colspan="4" align="center"\| only the winner ranked; the rest of the top 5 unordered (Boli, Carcela, Dimata and Danjuma)
2020{{cite web\|url=https://sporza.be/artikels/antwerp-spits-dieumerci-mbokani-wint-de-ebbenhouten-schoen~1591024166616/\|title=Antwerp-spits Dieumerci Mbokani wint de Ebbenhouten Schoen\|date=1 June 2020\|via=sporza.be}}	{{flagathlete\|Dieumerci Mbokani\|DRC}}	Antwerp	{{flagathlete\|Clinton Mata\|ANG}}	Club Brugge	{{flagathlete\|Simon Deli\|CIV}}	Club Brugge
2021{{cite web\|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2021/05/21/geen-mbokani-ebbenhouten-schoen-krijgt-nieuwe-naam-op-de-erelijst~1621616892185/\|title=No Mbokani: Ebony Shoe will see new name on honour roll\|date=21 May 2021\|via=sporza.be}}	{{flagathlete\|Paul Onuachu\|NGA}}	Genk	{{flagathlete\|Clinton Mata\|ANG}}	Club Brugge	{{flagathlete\|Théo Bongonda\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|COD}})	Genk
2022{{cite web\|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2022/05/19/tarik-tissoudali-bekroont-ijzersterk-seizoen-met-ebbenhouten-sch~1652976200040/\|title=Tarik Tissoudali bekroont ijzersterk seizoen met Ebbenhouten Schoen\|trans-title=Tarik Tissoudali crowns strong season with Ebony Shoe\|date=19 May 2022\|via=sporza.be}}	{{flagathlete\|Tarik Tissoudali\|MAR}}	Gent	{{flagathlete\|Paul Onuachu\|NGA}}	Genk	{{flagathlete\|Joshua Zirkzee\|NED}} ({{flagicon\|NGA}})	Anderlecht
2023{{cite web\|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2023/05/22/genkse-assistkoning-mike-tresor-is-nieuwe-ebbenhouten-schoen-boniface-en-orban-mee-op-podium~1684782294476/\|title=Genkse assistkoning Mike Trésor is nieuwe Ebbenhouten Schoen, Boniface en Orban mee op podium\|trans-title=Genk assistking Mike Trésor is new Ebony Shoe, Boniface and Orban also on podium\|date=22 May 2023\|via=sporza.be}}	{{flagathlete\|Mike Trésor\|BEL}} ({{flagicon\|BDI}})	Genk	{{flagathlete\|Victor Boniface\|NGA}}	Union SG	{{flagathlete\|Gift Orban\|NGA}}	Gent
2024{{cite web\|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/05/13/topschutter-kevin-denkey-bekroont-seizoen-met-ebbenhouten-schoen-wordt-moeilijk-om-bij-cercle-te-blijven~1715622770289/\|title=Topschutter Kevin Denkey bekroont seizoen met Ebbenhouten Schoen: "Wordt moeilijk om bij Cercle te blijven"\|trans-title=Topscorer Kevin Denkey crowns season with Ebony Shoe: "It will be difficult to stay with Cercle"\|date=13 May 2024\|via=sporza.be}}	{{flagathlete\|Kévin Denkey\|TOG}}	Cercle Brugge	{{flagathlete\|Mohamed Amoura\|ALG}}	Union SG	{{flagathlete\|Bilal El Khannous\|MAR}}	Genk
2025{{cite web\|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2025/05/12/genkse-goalgetter-tolu-wint-na-sterk-seizoen-de-ebbenhouten-schoen-trots-dat-ik-in-de-geschiedenisboeken-beland~1747064715342/\|title=Genkse goalgetter Tolu wint na sterk seizoen de Ebbenhouten Schoen: "Trots dat ik in de geschiedenisboeken beland"\|trans-title=Genk goalgetter Tolu wins Ebony Shoe after strong season: "Proud to end up in history books"\|date=12 May 2025\|via=sporza.be}}	{{flagathlete\|Tolu Arokodare\|NGA}}	Genk	{{flagathlete\|Noah Sadiki\|DRC}}	Union SG	{{flagathlete\|Zakaria El Ouahdi\|MAR}}	Genk

Breakdown of winners

=By country of origin=

Country !Number of wins !class="unsortable"\|Winning years
class="wikitable sortable" style="width:90%"
{{flagicon\|COD}} Democratic Republic of the Congo	{{center\|11}}	1997, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020
{{flagicon\|NGA}} Nigeria	{{center\|7}}	1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2021, 2025
{{flagicon\|MAR}} Morocco	{{center\|5}}	2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022
{{flagicon\|BDI}} Burundi	{{center\|2}}	2007, 2023
{{flagicon\|GHA}} Ghana	{{center\|1}}	1998
{{flagicon\|GUI}} Guinea	{{center\|1}}	1999
{{flagicon\|EGY}} Egypt	{{center\|1}}	2001
{{flagicon\|BFA}} Burkina Faso	{{center\|1}}	2002
{{flagicon\|CIV}} Ivory Coast	{{center\|1}}	2003
{{flagicon\|SEN}} Senegal	{{center\|1}}	2013
{{flagicon\|ALG}} Algeria	{{center\|1}}	2016
{{flagicon\|TAN}} Tanzania	{{center\|1}}	2019
{{flagicon\|TOG}} Togo	{{center\|1}}	2024

=By club=

Club !Number of wins !class="unsortable"\|Winning years
class="wikitable sortable" style="width:90%"
Anderlecht	{{center\|10}}	1996, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017
Genk	{{center\|6}}	1999, 2002, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025
Club Brugge	{{center\|5}}	1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2018
Gent	{{center\|3}}	2001, 2006, 2022
Standard Liège	{{center\|2}}	2008, 2014
RFC Liège	{{center\|1}}	1993
Eendracht Aalst	{{center\|1}}	1995
Mouscron	{{center\|1}}	1997
Zulte Waregem	{{center\|1}}	2013
Charleroi	{{center\|1}}	2015
Mechelen	{{center\|1}}	2016
Antwerp	{{center\|1}}	2020
Cercle Brugge	{{center\|1}}	2024

References

Category:Belgian football trophies and awards

Category:Annual events in Belgium

Country !Number of wins !class="unsortable"\|Winning years
class="wikitable sortable" style="width:90%"
{{flagicon\|COD}} Democratic Republic of the Congo	{{center\|11}}	1997, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020
{{flagicon\|NGA}} Nigeria	{{center\|7}}	1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2021, 2025
{{flagicon\|MAR}} Morocco	{{center\|5}}	2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022
{{flagicon\|BDI}} Burundi	{{center\|2}}	2007, 2023
{{flagicon\|GHA}} Ghana	{{center\|1}}	1998
{{flagicon\|GUI}} Guinea	{{center\|1}}	1999
{{flagicon\|EGY}} Egypt	{{center\|1}}	2001
{{flagicon\|BFA}} Burkina Faso	{{center\|1}}	2002
{{flagicon\|CIV}} Ivory Coast	{{center\|1}}	2003
{{flagicon\|SEN}} Senegal	{{center\|1}}	2013
{{flagicon\|ALG}} Algeria	{{center\|1}}	2016
{{flagicon\|TAN}} Tanzania	{{center\|1}}	2019
{{flagicon\|TOG}} Togo	{{center\|1}}	2024