Leicester's Mahrez named African Footballer of the Year

Record ID: 163294

  • Title: Leicester's Mahrez named African Footballer of the Year
  • Date: 5th January 2017
  • Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR, RIYAD MAHREZ, SAYING: "I want to thank everyone who came today for this award and it is a usual not to receive this award. I am very happy I'm very pleased. I want thank all my team mates from Leicester and from Algeria, my managers and my president of the federation Algeria and I want to dedicate to my family and all the Africans, of course Algerian as well and all the people who support me everyday around Africa and around the world. Thank you."
  • Embargoed: 20th January 2017 23:56
  • Keywords: soccer African Player of the Year Aubameyang Mahrez Mane Abuja
  • Location: ABUJA, NIGERIA
  • City: ABUJA, NIGERIA
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Soccer,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA0025XSZ873
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Riyad Mahrez, who inspired Leicester City to an extraordinary Premier League title triumph last season, was named African Footballer of the Year on Thursday (January 5).
    Algeria's Mahrez, the creative linchpin of Leicester's stunning success, was chosen ahead of 2015 winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool's Sadio Mane in a poll of African national team coaches, technical directors and media experts.
    The Leicester player received 361 votes, ahead of Aubameyang's 313 and Mane's 186 with the result announced at the annual Confederation of African Football (CAF) awards in the Nigerian capital.
    The 25-year-old Mahrez is the third French-born player to win the award, after Frederic Kanoute and Aubameyang, and the third Algerian international since Lakhdar Belloumi in 1981 and Rabah Madjer in 1987.
    It is the seventh time in nine years that the winner has come from an English Premier League club.
    "I want to thank all my team mates at Leicester and Algeria and my coaches. This is a huge honour for me," Mahrez said on receiving the award.
    Manchester City's Kelechi Iheanacho was named Africa's Most Promising Talent and Arsenal's Alex Iwobi Youth Player of the Year at the CAF awards.
    There was also recognition for Arsenal's Nigerian player Asisat Oshoala, who clinched the Women's Player of the Year award.
    Oshoala said she hoped her success would inspire other women across the continent.
    "This is not for me, it is on behalf of all the female footballers in Africa to speak for us. We deserve more in my opinion," said Oshoala.
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