Egypt’s Salah voted African Footballer of the year for the second time

Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was on Tuesday evening voted as the African Footballer of the Year for the second successive year at a function held in Dakar, Senegal.

Salah beat Liverpool team mate and Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Gabon to win the accolade for the second successive year as the best footballer on the African continent.

"This award is very big for me, I love it because I saw it when I was young and I always had a dream to win it one day," Salah said shortly after winning the award.

"I’m proud to win it twice, I must thank my family and my team mates, and I dedicate this award to my country, Egypt."

Salah,26, who last year became the first Egyptian to win the African player of the year award since its inception in 1992  and has now become the first Egyptian to win it twice.

The awards in Dakar also saw Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Houston Dash) voted the African player of the year among the women footballers whereas Morocco’s Herve Renard voted the coach of the year.

Uganda narrowly missed out on being named the African team of the year to Mauritania who qualified to this year’s Afcon finals for the first time.

CAF Awards in full

African player of the year- Mohammed Salah

Men’s national team of the year- Mauritania

Women’s coach of the year- Desiree Ellis(South Africa)

National team coach of the year - Herve Renard (Morocco)

Youth player of the year - Achraf Hakimi (Morocco and Borussia Dortumund)

Women national team of the year- Nigeria

Africa’s best XI

Dennis Onyango, Serge Aurier, Med Benatia, Eric Bailly, Khalid Koulibaly, Keita, Partey, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, Pierre Aubameyang and Mohammed Salah.