2016 CAF Awards: Nigeria Win Big As Mahrez Named Player Of The Year

The Algeria international was recognized for playing a pivotal role in Leicester City’s incredible run to emerge the 2015-16 Premier League champions.

The 25-year-old won 361 votes at the official CAF awards, edging in front of Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s 313, while Liverpool forward Sadio Mane finished in third place with 186 votes.

Mahrez had previously been named PFA Player of the Year for his exploits in Leicester’s phenomenal top-flight campaign, during which he scored 17 goals and recorded 11 assists.

Aubameyang won the prize in 2015.

Nigeria and Arsenal striker, Asisat Oshoala, won the Africa’s Women’s Footballer of the Year, beating Elizabeth Ado of Ghana and Camerounian Gabriel Onguene to the award.

The Arsenal Ladies forward, who first picked up the award in 2014, finished as top scorer at the Africa Women Cup of Nations in December with 6 goals.

For the Africa’s Women’s Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala contested the award with Elizabeth Ado of Ghana and Camerounian Gabriel Onguene, but Asisat Oshoala who scored six goals at the last Women’s AFCON emerged winner.

Meanwhile, Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi were also winners as the Super Eagles duo won the Most Promising Talent and the Youth Player of the Year Award respectively.

Iheanacho finished ahead of Elia Meschak of DR Congo and Guinea’s Naby Keita. Reacting to the award, Manchester City youngster Iheanacho tweeted: “Pleased to be named the CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year 2016 #Godisthegreatest.”

Pleased to be named the “>https://twitter.com/CAF_Online”>@caf_online most promising talent of the year 2016 #Godisthegreatest“>https://twitter.com/hashtag/Godisthegreatest?src=hash”>#Godisthegreatest https”>https://t.co/ENWwum3djO”>https://t.co/ENWwum3djO

— Kelechi Iheanacho (@67Kelechi) January”>https://twitter.com/67Kelechi/status/817133161243033601″>January 5, 2017

Iwobi, on the other hand, beat off competition from Ghana’s Eric Ayiah and Sandra Owusu-Ansah also from Ghana for the Youth Player of the Year award.

The 20-year-old enjoyed a stellar 2016 for both club and country, becoming a regular at Arsenal while also impressing for Nigeria.

Honoured To Be Awarded The CAF Youth Player Of The Year In 2016. Hoping For More Success In The Future ??⚽ pic.twitter.com/eguZ4YXkya

—”>https://t.co/eguZ4YXkya”>pic.twitter.com/eguZ4YXkya

— Alexander Iwobi (@alexiwobi) January”>https://twitter.com/alexiwobi/status/817129874200530945″>January 5, 2017

For the Women’s National Team of the Year Award, Nigeria’s Super Falcons beat the Indomitable Lioness of Cameroun and the Bayana Bayana of South Africa to the Award, to cap their impressive performance that made the country to win the 2016 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations held in Cameroun last year.

South Africa’s Pitso Mosimane who led Mamelodi Sundowns to the CAF Champions League title, was named the Coach of the Year, ahead of Falcons coach Florence Omagbemi.

The National Team of the Year award went to Uganda who qualified for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon for the first time since Ghana 1978 AFCON.

In the category for the Club of the Year, CAF Champions League winners Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa beat TP Mazembe of DR Congo and Zambia’s Zesco United to the award.

All The Winners:
-African Player of the Year
Riyad Mahrez ( Algeria/Leicester City )
-African Player of the Year-Based in Africa
Denis Onyango (Uganda/Mamelodi Sundowns
-Women’s Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria/Arsenal Ladies)
-Most Promising Talent
Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria/Manchester City)
-Youth Player of the Year
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria/Arsenal)
-Coach of the Year
Pitso Mosimane (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)
-Club of the Year
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
-National Team of the Year
Uganda
-Women’s National Team of the Year
Nigeria
-Referee of the Year
Bakary Papa Gassama (Gambia)
-Legend Award
Emilienne Mbango (Cameroon)
Late Laurent Pokou (Cote d’Ivoire)