Fri 22 July 2022:
Sadio Mane has been named African Footballer of the Year after a season in which he scored the winning penalty for Senegal as they won their first Africa Cup of Nations title and repeated the feat when they qualified for the World Cup.
The 30-year-old forward player won the award for the first time in 2019 while he was playing for English club Liverpool. He recently signed a three-year contract with German giant Bayern Munich.
“I am really honoured and highly delighted to receive this award again,” Mane said on Thursday. “Thanks to my coaches, my club and national team colleagues and those friends who stood by me during difficult times.”
“I dedicate this award to the youth of Senegal. I’m very emotional and don’t have the words to express how I’m feeling,” he added.
In February, Mane converted the decisive fifth penalty to give Senegal a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Egypt and a first Africa Cup of Nations title after the final ended 0-0 in Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital.
Born in a village nearly 400km (250 miles) from Dakar, Mane attracted the attention of Metz having played for local second-tier club Generation Foot.
Nigerian Asisat Oshoala won the Women’s Player of the Year for a record fifth time, overtaking compatriot Perpetua Nkwocha.
The 27-year-old Barcelona forward was forced to miss the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco due to an injury.
Football: African awards winners
Men
Player of the Year: Sadio Mane (Senegal)
Club Player of the Year: Mohamed el Shenawy (Al Ahly/Egypt)
Young Player of the Year: Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)
Coach of the Year: Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
National Team of the Year: Senegal
Club of the Year: Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
Goal of the Year: Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal, Simba/TAN)
Women
Player of the Year: Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
Club Player of the Year: Evelyn Badu (Avaldsnes/Norway, Ghana)
Young Player of the Year: Badu
Coach of the Year: Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Club of the Year: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
National Team of the Year: To be announced after Cup of Nations final between Morocco and South Africa in Rabat on Saturday
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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