Senegalese Forward, Sadio Mane Beats Salah, Mahrez To Emerge Africa Best Footballer
LAGOS JANUARY 8TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Senegalese forward Sadio Mane has won the 2019 CAF African Player of the Year award.
He beats Liverpool’s teammate Mohammed Salah and Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez to win the award at the annual awards ceremony staged in Hurghada on Tuesday.
Mane has been a finalist in the previous three editions of the CAF Player of the Year, but in all those instances, he never went back home with the coveted piece of silverware.
Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala won the Women’s Player of the Year for the fourth time ahead of Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga) and Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC).
Meanwhile, Manchester City sensational winger, Riyad Mahrez picked up the 2019 African Goal of the Year Award for his stunning free-kick for Algeria against Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The goal helped the Desert Foxes reach the finals of the tournament and denied the Super Eagles the opportunity to win her fourth AFCON title.
Mahrez’s goal was considered ahead of the rest based on difficulty, execution and Importance but the Algerian wasn’t available to pick up the award from legendary Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger as he was involved in the Carabao Cup semifinals against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Manchester City forward was also listed in the CAF XI where no Nigerian was nominted. He is joined in attack by Liverpool duo Saido Mane and Mohammed Salah. Others in the CAF XI includes Andrey Onana, Serge Aurier, Joel Matip, Koulibaly, Achraf Hakimi, Gana Gueye, Hakim Ziyech, Aubameyang.
Mahrez’s Algeria was also voted the National Team of the Year at the 2019 CAF Awards.
The 2019 CAF Awards was held at the Albatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh Hotel in Hurghada, Egypt and hosted by four-time African Footballer of the Year and Barcelona forward Samuel Eto’o.
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