By James Agberebi:
Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been crowned 2017 Aiteo Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Player of the Year.
Salah, 25, was announced as the 2017 recipient at the State House Banquet Hall, Accra, Ghana on Thursday night.
The 2017 BBC African Player of the Year winner beat club teammate and Senegal forward Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Borussia Dortmund to claim the award.
In second position was Mane while Aubameyang was third.
Salah becomes the first Egyptian since Mahmoud El Khatib in 1983 (when the award was organised by France Football magazine) to be crowned African best player.
In the category for the Women’s Player of the Year award, Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala emerged the winner, thereby retaining her title which she won in 2016 and has now won it three times (2014, 2016, 2017).
Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr lost to Argentina and Egypt coach Hector Cuper in the Coach of the Year category while the Pharoahs of Egypt who qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and were finalist at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations won National Team of the Year.
The Women’s National Team of the Year went to South Africa, 2017 CAF Champions League winners Wydad Casablanca of Morocco got the Club of the Year aaward, Zambia’s Patson Daka was presented with the Youth Player of the Year award, Legends Award went to Ibrahim Sunday of Ghana who won the CAF Player of the Year in 1971, Ahmed Yahya was awarded with Leader of the Year and President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo and newly elected President of Liberia George Weah were awarded with Platinum Award.
As Part of events to mark the 2017 CAF awards, past winners of the CAF Player of the Year Award were present. Also top African music stars like Nigeria’s Tiwa Savage, Phyno, Flavour, Wizkid, Olamide, Patoranking and Fali Ipupa of Democratic Republic of Congo were on hand to entertain the guests.
2017 CAF Award Winners:
Men’s Player of the Year:
Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)
Women’s Player of the Year:
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dalian Quanjian)
Women’s National Team of the Year:
South Africa
Coach of the Year:
Hector Cuper (Egypt)
National Team of the Year:
Egypt
Club of the Year:
Wydad Athletic Club
Youth Player of the Year:
Patson Daka (Zambia and Liefering)
CAF Legends Award:
Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana)
Leader of the Year:
Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania)
Platinum Award:
Nana Akufo-Addo (President of Ghana)
George Weah (President of Liberia)
COMMENTS
Congratulobia To All The Winners Especially My Bae Oshola!
Congratulations to Salah and Oshoala. But how did Egyptian national team emerged as NTOTY? And Hector as coach of the year? I disagree with these!
I almost agree with the awardees as worthy winners. But I have my reservation on the Africa XI. Why is Mane and Aubameyang, who are 2nd and 3rd respectively on the Africa best not on the list. The list also contains names that are not on the original 30 man best Africa players!!!! Its a disgrace. This cannot happen in Europe, the Americas, Asia. What do the selectors mean. Do they think we are not following? These guys in CAF should make an explanation why things are so poor. They are not football knowledgeable. Its a pity indeed.
How on earth did Egypt and Hector won the best team and best coach respectively?
I prefer Cameroon and Rohr instead.
cos Nigeria is the first team to qualify for world cup and Egypt did nothing special last year.
caf like FIFA is a joke