Former Ghana defender Samuel Osei Kuffour sides with Caf's choice of Mohamed Salah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sadio Mane as the final three nominees for the 2017 African Player of the Year award.
The ultimate candidacy of the trio was announced as the continental football governing body unveiled its final list of category shortlists in Accra on Monday.
Nigeria and Chelsea star Victor Moses was arguably the biggest of seven casualties.
“I think it's a right decision, all the three players deserve to be nominated,” Kuffour said.
“I support this decision.
"All the players have been performing very well for their clubs and countries.”
The awards gala is slated for January 4 in Accra, Ghana.
Black Stars representatives Thomas Teye Partey and Christian Atsu made the initial 30-man roster announced, but fell off as the list was whittled down to 10.
"I think at the moment, the [gap between] our [Ghanaian] players and those players [shortlisted for the award] is really huge, let’s be honest to ourselves," Kuffour said.
"I was thinking that maybe we could have Andre Ayew who, I think, has more potential, but now he is not having the best season in his club, so it is difficult to compare now.
"Who do you compare now? Atsu? I don't think so, let me be honest. He takes risks when he plays for Ghana but not when he's out there [with his club], so it's one of those things.
"You need to take a risk to be the best and if you don't want to be the best, then I don't know what you want."
Kuffour was the first runner-up of the African Player of The Year award in 2001.