DURBAN, Feb 16: Cameroon and Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o was named African Footballer of the Year on Tuesday for the second successive year.

The 23-year-old earned 116 votes to finish ahead of Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba (90) and Nigeria captain Jay-Jay Okocha (63) in the annual Confederation of African Football (CAF) poll.

Eto'o, who was not in Durban to collect his award because he is in Barcelona to play in FIFA's tsunami benefit match on Tuesday, spoke briefly by video link. "It is a very proud moment for me and for my country," he said.

Eto'o was lauded for his performance in Spain's Primera Liga, where he is the top goal scorer this season with 17 goals to help Barcelona to the top of the standings.

He is only the fourth player in 34 years to win the award in consecutive years, following in the footsteps of Abedi Pele of Ghana, George Weah of Liberia and Senegal striker El-Hadji Diouf.

The Footballer of the Year was decided for the first time by a poll of each CAF member association. Nigeria failed to vote, however, prejudicing the chances of Okocha, the captain of their national side.

The 31-year-old Okocha, who plays for English Premier League team Bolton Wanderers, made the short-list on the strength of his performances at the African Nations Cup in Tunisia where he was named player of the tournament.

Drogba, who helped Olympique Marseille reach last season's UEFA Cup final before joining England's Chelsea, was named the best player in France's Ligue 1. -AFP