Sadio Mane beats old Liverpool team-mate Mo Salah and Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy to be named African Footballer of the Year
SADIO MANE has been named African Footballer of the Year.
The 30-year-old, who left Liverpool for Bayern Munich this summer in a £35million move, picked up the prestigious award last night in Morocco.
He beat his ex-Anfield team-mate Mo Salah and Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to the crown.
Mane scored 23 goals for Liverpool last term as he helped them to FA Cup and Carabao Cup success.
The Reds also just missed out on the Premier League title by a point to Manchester City while they also suffered defeat in the Champions League final to Real Madrid.
However, it was arguably at international level where enjoyed his most memorable moment.
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The former Southampton player inspired Senegal to lift the Africa Cup of Nations in February.
Mane scored the winning penalty as his country beat Salah’s Egypt in a shootout in the final.
He also found the net three times at the tournament – one more than his old club strike partner.
Bayern president Herbert Hainer: “Congratulations to Sadio Mane on once again being named Africa’s Player of the Year.
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“He’s an absolutely exceptional player and above all a great person, who’s a wonderful ambassador for his homeland Senegal, for the whole of football, as well as for FC Bayern and the whole Bundesliga.”
Bayern CEO Oliver Khan also added: “We’re delighted about Sadio Mane’s award.
“FC Bayern has never before in its long history had an African Player of the Year in its ranks.
“This is a special honour for our club. We’re very proud that he now plays for this club and we have a lot of big goals with him.”
Mane last claimed the award, which has been won by the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Yaya Toure, Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba and George Weah in the past, back in 2019.
It capped a fantastic few days for the forward after he marked his Bayern debut with a goal and assist in the 6-2 win over Wayne Rooney’s DC United on the club’s pre-season tour of the US on Wednesday.