Mohamed Salah wins African player of the year award
Egypt international and Liverpool player Mohamed Salah has been named 2017 CAF African Player of the Year award.
Salah takes home the award for the very first time ever, as he managed to defeat competition from Senegal forward and Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane and Borussia Dortmund and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the awards ceremony in Accra, Ghana.
Salah had a sensational year for both club and country in 2017.
The 25-year-old scored 17 goals in 21 games after joining the English Premier League side from AS Roma, where he scored 10 goals between January and May.
He helped Egypt national team to secured a place in the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1990.
And Salah is the first Egyptian to scoop the prestigious CAF award since Mahmoud al Khatib in 1983.
Nigeria's Asisat Oshola won Women's African Player of the Year award.Mohamed #Salah is the 2017 African player of the year 🇪🇬🔥— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) January 4, 2018
⚽ 24 goals
🏆 CAF African Player of the Year
🏆 Arab Player of the Year
🏆 LFC Player of the month x 3
🔥 Goal Of The Month x 2
⭐️ UCL Player Of Week x 2
🥇 Premier League POTM x 1
🌍 BBC African Player of the Year pic.twitter.com/TwwPUVnZ7E
Oshoala has also been in top form for her club even though she has been rendered redundant as far as national team duties are concerned.
Following her surprise move from Arsenal to Chinese Women Super League club Dalian Quanjian in February 2017, Oshoala took China by storm, leading her team to a league and cup double.
This is the third time that the former Liverpool and Arsenal Ladies forward is been voted as best on the continent.
She broke down into tears after receiving the award and said:
“When I left Arsenal to China, people said my career was over. Here I am winning this award once again.Egypt boss Hector Cuper was named the Coach of the Year.
“To all the young girls out there, don’t let anyone talk you down. Always follow your dreams.”
Cuper beat out Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr and Wydad Athletic Club's L'Hussein Amoutta to claim the prize for the first time thanks to his exploits in 2017.
The Argentine's biggest achievement of the year was leading the Pharaohs to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1990 few months after losing the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title to Cameroon.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Women National team, Bayana Bayana, won the Women’s National Team of the Year award ahead of Nigeria’s U-20 female team, the Falconets. While the Club of the Year Award was won by Moroccan side, Wydad Casablanca.
HERE'S THE 2017 CAF AWARDS IN FULL:
Legend Award Winner: Ibrahim Sunday.
Women's National Team Of The Year: South Africa.
Leader Of The Year Award: Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania.
Club Of The Year: Wydad Casablanca
Men's Coach Of The Year: Hector Cuper.
Youth Player Of The Year: Patson Daka.
Men's National Team Of The Year: Egypt.
Women's African Player Of The Year: Asisat Oshoala.
Platinum Award: Ghana's Head of state Nana Akufo-Addo & Liberia Head of state George Weah.
Men's African Player Of The Year: Mohamed Salah
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