Accra (Ghana), Jan. 5 (IANS): Egypt and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been named 2017 Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) African Player of the Year.
The 25-year-old has scored 23 goals in 29 fixtures for the English football giants since joining the club from A.S. Roma. He also helped his national team finish second at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations — scoring goals against Ghana and Burkina Faso.
The Egyptian, who won the award for the first time ever on Thursday, defeated his Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane, who finished second. Borussia Dortmund star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finished third.
Mane also sidelined rumours that suggest he doesn’t gets well along with Salah and said: “Where do you get these rumours from?”
“Did you see the assist I gave him in our last game (against Leicester at Anfield),” the Senegalese told The Guardian.
“Mo and me are very, very good friends. He is maybe my best friend in Liverpool even though I am cool with everyone,” Mane added.
Other awards given by the CAF saw Nigerian Asisat Oshoala being awarded the Female footballer of the year, Egypt named the National team of the year, South Africa grabbing the Women’s national team of the year, and Zambian Patson Daka given the Young African footballer of the year.
Some other recognitions by the CAF included Egypt’s Héctor Cúper awarded the coach of the year and Wydad Athletic Club named the club of the year.
