Goal.com

Join Goal.com in saluting another player worthy of global recognition

Welcome to Goal.com's regular feature: Goal.com World Player of the Week. Each week our worldwide team of editors will put forward a selected candidate, as chosen by Goal.com International, who deserves recognition for achieving something special that matchday. It won't necessarily be the best player in the world - at least not usually - but whoever we nominate will have accomplished something amazing. It might be for a particularly awesome performance or for something praiseworthy off the pitch - either way, the person in question deserves special attention...

Goal.com World Player of the Week #141: Christopher Katongo
Club: Henan Construction
Country: Zambia
Age: 29
Role: Forward
Achievement: Inspired Zambia to the Afcon quarter-finals

Zambia reached the quarter-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in style with two wins and a draw, and at the heart of their progress was captain Christopher Katongo.

Leading by example, the forward scored the equaliser against Libya in midweek in a match that finished in a 2-2 draw.

Then on Sunday midway through the second-half of their final Group A fixture against Afcon co-hosts Equatorial Guinea, Katongo struck a wonderful solo goal that was enough to win the match 1-0 and seal qualification to the last-eight of the prestigious African competition.

Congratulations to Christopher Katongo, Goal.com's 141st World Player of the Week!
 

Honourable Mentions

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Gabon

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored in Gabon’s opening Group C match against Niger in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations that ended in a 2-0 win for his side. The 22-year-old was also the man of the match in their encounter against Morocco, scoring a goal and creating another in a 3-2 victory.

Massimiliano Benassi - Lecce

Lecce registered a shock 1-0 victory over Inter at home in Serie A on Sunday thanks mainly to the heroic performance of their goalkeeper Massimiliano Benassi. He produced a host of miracle saves against the Nerazzurri, and reserved his best for the last when he kept out a Giampaolo Pazzini header during injury-time.

John Guidetti - Feyenoord

John Guidetti has not trained all week due to illness but he started Feyenoord’s Eredivisie encounter against Ajax and scored a brilliant hat-trick to help his side to a 4-2 triumph at De Kuip Stadion.

Dirk Kuyt - Liverpool

Dirk Kuyt played an important role in Liverpool’s back-to-back victories in Cup competitions in England. The Netherlands international put in a decent shift for the Reds in their 2-2 draw with Manchester City at Anfield in the League Cup semi-final second-leg clash in midweek. Then at the weekend he scored the winner against Manchester United in their 2-1 triumph, enabling Liverpool to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Shinji Kagawa - Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund continued to maintain their chances of successfully defending their Bundesliga crown by defeating Hoffenheim 3-1 at home at the weekend, and the star of the show was a certain Shinji Kagawa. The Japan international midfielder scored two goals and played a big role in the third.

Mesut Ozil - Real Madrid

Mesut Ozil has struggled on occasions over the past few months but he returned to form this week in style. The Real Madrid midfielder was superb against Barcelona in the 2-2 draw in the Copa del Rey quarter-final second-leg clash at Camp Nou. Ozil was the most creative player on the pitch and was instrumental in Los Blancos’ second-half comeback. Then on Saturday he scored one goal and created another in Madrid’s 3-1 triumph over Real Zaragoza in the Primera Division.

Dorlan Pabon - Atletico Nacional

Atletico Nacional midfielder Dorlan Pabon bagged a hat-trick in his side’s 4-0 win against rivals Deportivo Cali in the Colombian first division.

Leave your notes of congratulations for Christopher Katongo below, or discuss who else deserves a place in the spotlight this week...