CAF names Liverpool, Egypt Forward Salah African Player of the Year 2017

Liverpool and Egypt forward, Mohamed Salah has been named the 2017 Confederation of African Football Player of the Year at a ceremony held in Accra, Thursday night.

The ceremony was hosted by Chelsea and Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba and South African female sports broadcaster Carol Tsabalala and assisted by Hollywood couple Boris Kodjoe and wife Nicole Ari Parker.

Mohamed Salah, 25-year-old, has scored 17 Premier League goals this season, to help Egypt reach the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations final in 2017.

He finished ahead of Liverpool team-mate and Senegal winger Sadio Mane.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp allowed his two shortlisted players, Mane and Salah  to attend the ceremony despite his side playing Everton in the FA Cup on Friday.

Salah will miss the game through a groin injury, but Mane could well play.

Borussia Dortmund and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came third.

Salah, who was voted the BBC African Footballer of the Year in December, has enjoyed a stellar year for both club and country.

In early 2017, Salah was the central figure for Egypt as they finished runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations.

He also had a hand in all seven of the goals that took the Pharaohs to their first World Cup since 1990 - assisting two and scoring five, including the stoppage-time penalty against Congo that saw them qualify them for Russia.

Salah's form at club level has been every bit as impressive as it has in internationals.

In Italy, he scored 15 goals and made 11 others as he helped Roma finish second in Serie A, before joining Liverpool, where he has scored 23 goals in 29 games so far for Jurgen Klopp's side this season.



Other Awards:

Platinum Award

Nana Akufo-Addo (President, Republic of Ghana)

Platinum Award

George Weah (President-Elect, Liberia)

CAF Legends Award

Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana & Asante Kotoko)

Football Leader of the Year

Yahya Ahmed (Mauritania)

Club of the Year

Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)

Women’s National Team of the Year

Bayana Bayana (South Africa)

Coach of the Year

Hector Cuper (Egypt)

Youth Player of the Year

Patson Daka (Zambia)

Women’s Player of the Year

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)



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