Rwandan midfielder Mike Tresor Ndayishimiye has been shortlisted as one of the five competitors for the 2022/23 Soulier d’Ebene, or the Ebony Shoe award in Belgium.

The trophy is awarded annually to the best footballer of African descent plying his trade in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, the country's top flight league.

Ndayishimiye, 23, is in the race alongside club teammates Joseph Paintsil from Ghana, El Khannouss from Morocco as well as Nigeria's duo of Victor Boniface and Gift Orban who plays for Union Saint Gilloise and Gent respectively.

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Ndayishimiye has been in extraordinary form for Genk this campaign, providing 21 assists and scoring 8 goals in 34 games.

Born to a Burundian father Freddy Ndayishimiye, who was a former footballer and a Rwandan mother in Antwerp, Ndayishimiye has played for Belgium at U21 level but he is still eligible to switch allegiance to the land of his parents.

Currently, he is being courted by Amavubi head coach Carlos Alos Ferrer and an official approach has been made but the player is yet to make a decision.

Since the formation of the Ebony Award in 1992, Mohammed Chite from Burundi who won the award in 2007 while playing for Anderlecht is the only player from East African to do so and Ndayishimiye could follow suit.