RABAT: Sadio Mane was named African Footballer of Year on Thursday after a season in which he kicked the winning penalty for Senegal as they claimed their first Africa Cup of Nations title and repeated the feat when they secured World Cup qualification.

The forward first won the honour in 2019 while he was at Liverpool. The 30-year-old left the Premier League club last month after signing a three-year deal with Bayern Munich.

“I am really honoured and highly delighted to receive this award again,” Mane said. “Thanks to my coaches, my club and national team colleagues and those friends who stood by me during difficult times.”

Mane was in the Moroccan capital to receive the award after a dash across the Atlantic having converted a penalty for his new club in a 6-2 pre-season friendly win over DC United in Washington on Wednesday.

It was the second successive continental player of the year award for Mane after the Confederation of African Football did not hold it over of the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and has now changed to recognising accomplishments over the season rather than the calendar year.

He won ahead of former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah from Egypt and fellow Senegal international and Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Mane and Salah played pivotal roles last season with Liverpool, who lifted the FA Cup and English League Cup and finished runners-up in the Premier League and Champions League.

Salah has since signed a new contract at Anfield while Mane opted for a move, with Bayern reportedly paying an initial 32 million euros ($32.5 million) that could rise to 41 million euros.

The transfer fee was a far cry from the four million euros Red Bull Salzburg paid Metz in 2012 when Mane made his first move in Europe.

Mane converted the winning penalty in February as Senegal beat Egypt in the Cup of Nations final in Yaounde, proving the talisman as his country took a first ever African title.

Six weeks later, he struck the decisive spot-kick as Senegal again edged Egypt in a penalty shootout to win a place at the World Cup finals in Qatar.

Salah did not get a chance to take a penalty in the Cup of Nations decider while he blazed the first Egyptian kick wide in the play-off that secured a World Cup place in Qatar this November for Senegal.

Mane also finished ahead of Salah in the 2019 voting. Salah, 30, won the award in 2017 and 2018 with Mane second on both occasions.

“I dedicate this award to the youth of Senegal. I’m very emotional and don’t have the words to express how I’m feeling,” Mane told the audience.

Mendy, who plays for Chelsea, was named the best goalkeeper in the world at FIFAs 2021 award, held in January.

Nigerian Asisat Oshoala won the Women’s Player of the Year a record fifth time, overtaking compatriot Perpetua Nkwocha.

The 27-year-old Barcelona forward was forced to miss the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco due to an injury.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2022