Salah beats club mate Mane to African player of year award

January 9 – Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah has won the African footballer of the year award for the second consecutive time.

Just as he did 12 months ago, Salah held off competition from club teammate Sadio Mane and Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to land the award.

A poll of Confederation of African Football national team head coaches and technical directors, members of the governing body’s technical and development committee and a panel of media experts selected Salah who received the accolade at a ceremony in Dakar, Senegal, on Tuesday evening.

Salah scored a remarkable 44 goals last season helping Liverpool reach the Champions League final and netting twice for Egypt at last summer’s World Cup despite fears about a shoulder injury.

A further 16 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions have followed so far this season.

“I have dreamt of winning this award since I was a child and now I have done so twice in a row,” Salah said. “I’m proud to win it twice, I must thank my family and my teammates, and I dedicate this award to my country.”

Houston Dash and South Africa forward Thembi Kgatlana was named Women’s Player of the Year.

The best Africa XI named at the same ceremony was as follows: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns/Uganda), Serge Aurier (Tottenham/Ivory Coast), Medhi Benatia (Juventus/Morocco), Eric Bailly (Manchester United/Ivory Coast), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli/Senegal); Naby Keita (Liverpool/Guinea), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid/Ghana), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City/Algeria); Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal/Gabon), Sadio Mane (Liverpool/Senegal

Youth player of the Year: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)

Coach of the Year: Herve Renard (Morocco)

Women’s coach of the Year: Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

National team of the year: Mauritania

Women’s national team of the year: Nigeria

Contact the writer of this story at andrew.warshaw@insideworldfootball.com