Muhamed Salah has been named CAF African Player of the year. The Liverpool star won the award for the first time thanks to his exploits in his English Premier League side and Egypt National team.
Salah managed to defeat competition from fellow finalists Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the awards ceremony in Accra.
The 25-year-old turned in a stunning campaign for Liverpool in 2017, as he scored 17 goals in 21 games after joining the English Premier League side from Italian club, AS Roma.
On the international scene, he helped Egypt to second place finish at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, including goals against Ghana and Burkina Faso. His brace against Congo in October helped the Pharaohs qualify for their first FIFA World Cup since 1990.
Aubameyang, meanwhile, scored an incredible 31 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions last term, but only managed to get his hands on the DFB-Pokal with Borussia Dortmund.
The CAF Player of the Year award was initially pared down to a shortlist of 30, with Salah, Aubameyang and Mane named the three finalists in December.
The winner of the award is selected by current Coaches and Captains from every men’s National team in Africa.
However, Nigeria was apparently ‘Missing in Action’ as only one Nigerian grabbed an award at the Gala night, making Africa’s top eleven.
Other winners of at the CAF Awards Night
African Player of the year
Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool/ENG),
Sadio Mane (Senegal, Liverpool/ENG), 2nd
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon, Borussia Dortmund/GER) 3rd
Women’s Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria, Dalian Quanjian/CHN)
Youth Player of the Year
Patson Daka (Zambia, Liefering/AUT)
Coach of the Year
Hector Cuper (Egypt)
National Team of the Year
Egypt
Women’s National Team of the Year
South Africa
Club of the Year
Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
Africa’s Finest XI
Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia, Etoile Sahel);
Ahmed Fathy (Egypt, Al Ahly),
Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast, Manchester Utd/ENG),
Ali Maaloul (Tunisia, Al Ahly/EGY);
Mohamed Ounnajem (Morocco, Wydad Casablanca),
Karim el Ahmadi (Morocco, Feyenoord/NED),
Junior Ajayi (Nigeria, Al Ahly/EGY),
Achraf Bencharki (Morocco, Wydad Casablanca);
Khalid Boutaib (Morocco, Yeni Malatyaspor/TUR),
Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool/ENG),
Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia, Esperance)
