BREAKING NEWS, Sports
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PIERRE-EMERICK Aubameyang, captain of Gabonese football team, who plays Dortmund in the German Bundesliga, was crowned African Footballer of the Year at the Glo/CAF awards held on Thursday, January 7, night in Abuja.
Aubameyang, who is captain of Panthers, Gabonese national team, edged out Yaya Toure, an Ivorian four-time winner, and Andre Ayew of Ghana to win the Footballer of the Year award.
The new African footballer of the year award winner broke down in tears as he spoke to reporters on the award. “I am not usually an emotional person but to win this award, with players like Yaya and Dede [Ayew], is an important moment for me,” he said, adding: “I don’t usually cry, but this has made me cry.”
Toure had won the award for four consecutive years before Thursday when Aubameyang was named the winner. All three football stars were in Abuja for the event. Winner Aubameyang arrived in the country on Wednesday, while Ayew and Abedi Pele, his father and previous winner arrived in Abuja on Thursday.
Apart from Toure, Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon is the only other player to have won the African biggest prize for four years.
In the other awards, Mbwana Aly Samatta of Botswana was voted the African Player of the Year Based in Africa.
Most Promising Talent was given to Oghenekaro Etebo of the Nigeria U-23 team. It was double for Nigeria talent-wise as Victor Osimhen of the Golden Eaglets won the Youth Player of the Year.
Coach of the Year was given to Herve Renard who coached the Ivory Coast to the 2015 African cup. The former coach of Zambia beat Nigeria’s Emmanuel Amunike who led Nigeria to the 2015 FIFA U-15 trophy.
Gaelle Enganamouit of Cameroon beat Nigeria’s Ngozi Ebere to the Women’s Player of the Year. Referee of the Year went to Bakary Papa Gassama of The Gambia. African Legends awards were presented to both Charles Gyamfi (Ghana) and Samuel Leppe (Cameroon).
Ivory Coast won National Team of the Year, beating Ghana Black Stars and Nigeria U-17 side. Cameroonian ladies were voted the Women’s National Team of the Year. The Fair Play award went to Allez Casa of Senegal – the Senegalese football supporters club. TP Mazembe was named the Club of the Year for winning the last CAF Champions League.
— Jan 8, 2016 @ 13:40 GMT
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