Salah, Oshoala Emerged African Players Of The Year | The Precision

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool and Egyptian playmaker Mohamed Salah etched his name into
football history after being crowned African Player of the Year 2017. 

In the female category, Nigerian Asisat Oshoala, who now plays for
the Chinese side Dalian Quanjian F.C. was crowned Africa’s best.

Salah fended off opposition from club-mate Sadio Mane of Senegal and
Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, winner in 2015, to pick the topmost
prize at the Aiteo CAF Awards Gala 2017, held on Thursday, 4 January
2018, at the International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana.

He thus became the first Egyptian to win the most prestigious individual honour in African football.

He polled 625 points, against 507 from Mane whilst Aubameyang finished a distant third with 311 points.

The feat capped a superb year for the forward who played an
influential role for both club and country during the year under review.

Salah’s feat was the climax of a memorable evening for Egyptian
football which saw the Pharaohs being named National Team of the Year
and Argentina-born trainer, Hector Cuper, Coach of the Year.

Nigerian Asisat Oshoala was adjudged Women’s Player of the Year for
the third time, after 2014 and 2016. She beat Cameroonian Gabrielle
Aboudi Onguene and Chrestina Kgatlana of South Africa to the top prize.

However, Kgatlana took consolation in Banyana Banyana being named Women’s National Team of the Year.

Patson Daka ensured Zambia was represented on the podium with the
Youth Player of the Year, ten years after compatriot Clifford Mulenga
was decorated Most Promising Talent of the Year.

African champions, Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco deservingly went home with the Club of the Year award.

Former Ghana player Ibrahim Sunday, a member of the Asante Kotoko
squad that won the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1970 was decorated
with the Legend award.

CAF Executive Committee member, Ahmed Yahya, who doubles as president
of the Mauritania Football Federation was named Football Leader of the
Year.

There were two Platinum Awards, one to Ghana President Nana Addo
Dankwa Akufo-Addo and global football icon, George Weah, now
President-elect of Liberia. 

The ceremony which was beamed live to millions across the world had
Ghana President Akufo-Addo, Fatma Samoura – FIFA General Secretary
amongst some high profile attendees.

There were also musical performances from Toofan from Togo, DR
Congo’s Fally Ipupa, Ghanaian duo, Shatta Wale and Kidi, and Nigerian
septet of Patoranking, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Runtown, Olamide, Phyno and
Flavour.

Awards
African Player of the Year
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)

Women’s Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dalian Quanjian)

Youth Player of the Year
Patson Daka (Zambia & Liefering)

Coach of the Year
Hector Cuper (Egypt)

Club of the Year
Wydad Athletic Club

National Team of the Year
Egypt

Women’s National Team of the Year
South Africa

Legend
Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana)

Platinum Award
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo – President of Ghana
George Weah – President-elect of Liberia & former World, Africa and European Player of the Year

Fans’ Finest XI
Goalkeeper: Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel)
Defenders: Ahmed Fathi (Egypt & Al Ahly), Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire
& Manchester United), Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
Midfielders: Mohamed Ounnajem (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club), Karim
El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord), Junior Ajayi (Nigeria & Al
Ahly), Achraf Bencharki (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
Forwards: Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor), Mohamed Salah
(Egypt & Liverpool), Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia &
Esperance)

*Reported by CAF Online