The Ebony Shoe award (Dutch: Ebbenhouten schoen, French: Soulier d'ébène[1]) 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.[2]
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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.[3]
History
editThe 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.[3] 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.[3] 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.[3] For a number of players, it is the first individual award they have received in their careers.[4]
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.[5] 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.[3]
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.[6] In 2023, La Tribune discussed which winner had the most impact, with Vincent Kompany and Mbark Boussoufa being named as the two that had.[7]
Winners
edit
Breakdown of winners
editBy country of origin
edit| Country | Number of wins | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
 Democratic Republic of the Congo | 11 | 1997, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020 |
 Nigeria | 7 | 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2021, 2025 |
 Morocco | 6 | 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022, 2026 |
 Burundi | 2 | 2007, 2023 |
 Ghana | 1 | 1998 |
 Guinea | 1 | 1999 |
 Egypt | 1 | 2001 |
 Burkina Faso | 1 | 2002 |
 Ivory Coast | 1 | 2003 |
 Senegal | 1 | 2013 |
 Algeria | 1 | 2016 |
 Tanzania | 1 | 2019 |
 Togo | 1 | 2024 |
By club
edit| Club | Number of wins | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
| Anderlecht | 10 | 1996, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017 |
| Genk | 7 | 1999, 2002, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026 |
| Club Brugge | 5 | 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2018 |
| Gent | 3 | 2001, 2006, 2022 |
| Standard Liège | 2 | 2008, 2014 |
| RFC Liège | 1 | 1993 |
| Eendracht Aalst | 1 | 1995 |
| Mouscron | 1 | 1997 |
| Zulte Waregem | 1 | 2013 |
| Charleroi | 1 | 2015 |
| Mechelen | 1 | 2016 |
| Antwerp | 1 | 2020 |
| Cercle Brugge | 1 | 2024 |
References
edit- ↑ "premier trophée pour les Zèbres --"L'Avenier"". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
- ↑ https://www.soulierdebene.be/
- 1 2 3 4 5 Stratton, Stephen (4 August 2017). "The Ebony Shoe and The Belgian Lion". The Football Times. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
- ↑ "Michy Batshuayi reçoit le "Soulier d'Ebène"". La Libre (in French). 29 March 2025. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
- ↑ "Tarik Tissoudali: Morocco winger wins Belgium's Ebony Shoe". BBC Sport. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
- ↑ "Paul Onuachu: Nigeria striker wins Ebony Shoe to complete awards hat-trick". BBC Sport. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
- ↑ "Qui est le meilleur Soulier d'Ebène de l'histoire ? Il y a bagarre dans La Tribune". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 1 April 2025.
- ↑ "Mbaye Leye wint de Ebbenhouten Schoen" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 13 May 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
- ↑ "Michy Batshuayi krijgt de Ebbenhouten Schoen" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 5 May 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015.
- ↑ "Neeskens Kebano wint de Ebbenhouten Schoen" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 11 May 2015.
- ↑ "Tanzania's Mbwana Samatta wins Belgium's Ebony Shoe award". BBC Sport. 7 May 2019.
- ↑ "Antwerp-spits Dieumerci Mbokani wint de Ebbenhouten Schoen". 1 June 2020 – via sporza.be.
- ↑ "No Mbokani: Ebony Shoe will see new name on honour roll". 21 May 2021 – via sporza.be.
- ↑ "Tarik Tissoudali bekroont ijzersterk seizoen met Ebbenhouten Schoen" [Tarik Tissoudali crowns strong season with Ebony Shoe]. 19 May 2022 – via sporza.be.
- ↑ "Genkse assistkoning Mike Trésor is nieuwe Ebbenhouten Schoen, Boniface en Orban mee op podium" [Genk assistking Mike Trésor is new Ebony Shoe, Boniface and Orban also on podium]. 22 May 2023 – via sporza.be.
- ↑ "Topschutter Kevin Denkey bekroont seizoen met Ebbenhouten Schoen: "Wordt moeilijk om bij Cercle te blijven"" [Topscorer Kevin Denkey crowns season with Ebony Shoe: "It will be difficult to stay with Cercle"]. 13 May 2024 – via sporza.be.
- ↑ "Genkse goalgetter Tolu wint na sterk seizoen de Ebbenhouten Schoen: "Trots dat ik in de geschiedenisboeken beland"" [Genk goalgetter Tolu wins Ebony Shoe after strong season: "Proud to end up in history books"]. 12 May 2025 – via sporza.be.
- ↑ https://sporza.be/nl/2026/05/04/voor-de-3e-keer-in-4-jaar-prijs-voor-krc-genk-winger-zakaria-el-ouahdi-krijgt-de-ebbenhouten-schoen~1777924106983/