Mohamed Salah beats Sadio Mane, Aubameyang to be crowned African Player of the Year

Dakar: Egypt striker Mohamed Salah was voted as the African Footballer of the Year for the second successive year at the Confederation of African Football’s awards ceremony in Dakar on Tuesday.

Salah beat fellow nominees, Liverpool team mate Sadio Mane and Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

He edged the same two players last year in a vote decided by the technical directors and head coaches of 56 CAF member associations.

“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 when collecting his trophy for his 2018 exploits.

“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 helped Liverpool reach the 2018 Champions League final but suffered a shoulder injury during the 3-1 defeat by Real Madrid in Kiev.

That injury raised doubts about his World Cup participation but he regained fitness to represent Egypt in the finals in Russia, scoring twice as they exited in the first round.

He has scored 13 Premier League goals this season to guide Liverpool to the top of the standings.

It is the third time an Egyptian player has claimed the crown, with Mahmoud El Khatib’s 1983 victory being the other occasion.