Sadio Mane, the captain of the national side and a recent signing with Bayern Munich, won “African Player of the Year” on Thursday in Rabat, making it almost a clean sweep for Senegal.
Aliou Cisse, the head coach of the national team, earned the title of “Coach of the Year” after guiding his squad to their maiden continental championship and another World Cup qualifying.
The “Young Player of the Year” was announced as Tottenham Hotspur’s 18-year-old midfielder Pape Matar Sarr, who plays in the English Premier League.
After winning the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon in January, Senegal was also named the “National Team of the Year.”
Mane defended his CAF African Player of the Year crown after winning the last edition in 2019 as well.
READ MORE: Oshoala Sets Record, Wins Fifth CAF Player Of The Year
He just departed English club Liverpool after a trophy-laden tenure with the Reds, and after joining Bayern Munich, he became the star player of the German Bundesliga.
Another Senegalese player, Pape Ousmane Sakho of Simba, took home the CAF award for “Goal of the Year” in the mixed men’s and women’s category.
That was for his amazing overhead goal for Simba versus Asec Mimosa in a group stage match of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Senegal did not win out, however, as Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala took home a record-breaking fifth “African Player of the Year” trophy.
Oshoala has now surpassed her fellow countrywoman Perpetua Nkwocha to become the only person to have won the prize five times in total.
In the same way that Mamelodi Sundowns Women were chosen “Women’s Club of the Year,” Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco was also selected “African Men’s Club of the Year.”
Desiree Ellis, the head coach of South Africa’s national women’s football team, was selected “Africa’s Coach of the Year” in the women’s football category.
She will captain Banyana Banyana for Saturday’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) championship game against Morocco.
Evelyn Badu from Ghana won both the Young Player of the Year and the Interclub Player of the Year trophies for women on the same night.
She took Hassacas Ladies all the way to the Women’s Champions League’s inaugural championship game and was awarded the competition’s golden boot.
Mohamed El Shenawy, a great goalie for Al Ahly and Egypt’s national team, was named the male “Interclub Player of the Year.”
The ceremony for the awards took place at Sale, Rabat’s spectacular Mohamed VI Technical Centre, and a number of Africa’s top football personalities and players were there.
After Saturday’s championship game between hosts Morocco and South Africa at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, the women’s “National Team of the Year” will be announced.
The full list of winners
Player of the Year (Men)
Sadio Mane (Senegal and Bayern Munich)
Player of the Year (Women)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and FC Barcelona)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men)
Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly)
Young Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Young Player of the Year (Men)
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal and Tottenham Hotspur)
Coach of the Year (Women)
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Coach of the Year (Men)
Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
Club of the Year (Women)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Club of the Year (Men)
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
National Team of the Year (Men)
Senegal
Goal of the Year
Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba)
(NAN)
