Algerian international, Riyad Mahrez, has emerged the 2016 winner of the African Footballer of the Year, an award organised by the Confederation of African Football in conjunction with Nigeria’s telecoms giant, Globacom.
The Leicester City winger beat Liverpool’s striker Saido Mane to become the 25th winner of the gong, while last year’s winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, placed third.
Mahrez was one of four Leicester players named in the PFA Team of the Year in April 2016, and later that month he won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.
He was the first African to earn the accolade.
When Leicester finished the season as champions, Mahrez became the first Algerian to win a Premier League medal.
In other categories, Nigeria’s Alex Iwobi was adjudged the Youth Player of the Year, just as his compatriot, Kelechi Iheanacho, won the Most Promising Player of the Year award.
Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala won the African Female Player of the Year award for the second time after winning its the first time in Lagos in 2014.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa handler, Pitso Mosimane, won the Coach of the Year at the expense of Super Falcons’ coach, Florence Omagbemi, and Florent Ibenge of Dr Congo.
Mosimane’s club, Sundowns, was honoured as the Club of the Year.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ goalkeeper, Denis Onyango, picked the African Player of the Year -Africa-based, ahead of Zambia and TP Mazembe danger man, Rainford Kalaba, and Zimbabwe’s Khana Billiat.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, was honoured with Platinum award for his contribution to football development in Africa.
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