Mane worthy winner of African Footballer of the Year award

Sadio Mane

Liverpool and Senegalese forward Sadio Mane

from AHMED MOOLA in Cairo, Egypt
CAIRO, (CAJ News) AFTER helping his English premiership side win the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League, finishing joint top scorer in the Premiership and starring in Liverpool’s imminent first title in 30 years, the African Footballer of the Year is deserved recognition for Sadio Mane’s exploits in 2019.

While voting for the most prestigious individual accolades has been too close to call in recent years, the Senegalese emerged an overwhelming winner at the awards dinner held in Hurghada, Egypt on Tuesday evening.

Mane polled 477 votes ahead of his Liverpool teammate Mohamd Salah, 325 votes, and Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez, 267 votes.

“I’m very happy and proud to win this award. I thank my teammates at the Senegal national team and also my club, Liverpool for their support,” Mane said.

He collected the award from CAF President Ahmad Ahmad.

In addition to his exploits with Liverpool, where he finished last season as joint top scorer with Salah and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mane captained Senegal to second in last year’s Africa Cup of Nations, won by Mahrez’s Algeria.

For the Women’s category, Oshoala was named African Women’s Player of the Year for the fourth time, equalling the record of her compatriot Perpetua Nkwocha. She garnered 351 votes, 30 more than Cameroonian forward Ajara Nchout and Thembi Kgatlana, who had 247 votes.

For the Interclub of the Year, Youcef Belaili won the prize following his stellar performance for his club X in the CAF Champions League with Esperance.

The Youth Player of the Year award went to Moroccan Achraf Hakimi. Djamel Belmadi and Desiree Ellis picked the Coach of the Year male and female respectively.

– CAJ News

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