Caf Award: Mane, Oshoala Wins Player Of The Year Award
Sadio Mane has been named CAF Footballer of the Year, beating fellow Teranga Lions teammate, Edouard Mendy and former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah to the award.
Things keeps on getting better and better for the Senegalese after scoring on his debut in Mane Bayern Munich had a great 2021 as he led Senegal to their first continental title, consecutive World Cup appearance and played a key role in Liverpool’s quadruple bid, albeit it didn’t end as planned.
The award is Mane’s second as he becomes the fifth African to win the award in consecutive years since Caf took over the distribution of the award in 1992. Others are El Hadji Diouf, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, and Salah.
The 30-year-old forward scored the decisive penalty kick against Egypt in the AFCON final earlier this year in Cameroon.
However Super Falcon striker Asisat OshoalaThe striker has been recognised after playing a key role in Barcelona's title-winning season in SpainNigeria and Barcelona talisman Asisat Oshoala has been named the 2022 African Women’s Player of the Year at the Caf Awards ceremony in Rabat on Thursday.
The 27-year-old picked the award ahead of Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon and Inter Milan) and Zambia international Grace Chanda (Zambia and BIIK Kazygurt).
With this, she becomes the first African to win this prestigious for a record five times, overtaking Perpetua Nkwocha who claimed the accolade on four occasions.
The 2021-22 campaign was arguably Oshoala’s best yet as she played a key role in her Spanish side’s treble charge – the Spanish Women's Super Cup, Copa de la Reina and the Primera Division.
Although, she missed a couple of matches due to injury, that did not stop her from emerging as league joint-top scorer after netting 20 goals in 19 league appearances to share the award with Brazilian Geyse Ferreira, who managed the same number of goals in 27 appearances for Madrid CFF.
Impressively, she scored a hat-trick against Real Betis and a double versus Real Sociedad, Valencia, Villarreal, and Real Betis.
In the Copa de la Reina, she scored in her only appearance in the tournament against Real Madrid.
Her side could have won a quadruple, but Barcelona lost 3-1 to Olympique Lyonnais at the Juventus Stadium in Turin.
Internationally, she contributed little as she did not score a single goal for the Super Falcons in the period under review.
To make things worse, she was ruled out of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2022 with Nigeria through injury after suffering a medial collateral ligament strain in the West African’s 2-1 defeat to South Africa in Rabat.
Oshoala is the fourth Nigerian to land the women's version of the award, following in the footsteps of Mercy Akide (2001), Nkwocha (2004, 2005, 2010 & 2011) and Cynthia Uwak (2006 & 2007).
Player of the Year (Men)
Sadio Mane (Senegal and Bayern Munich)
Player of the Year (Women)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and FC Barcelona)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men)
Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly)
Young Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Young Player of the Year (Men)
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal and Tottenham Hotspur)
Coach of the Year (Women)
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Coach of the Year (Men)
Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
Club of the Year (Women)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Club of the Year (Men)
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
National Team of the Year (Men)
Senegal
National Team of the Year (Women)
The winner will be announced on 23 July 2022 during the final match of the Women’s AFCON.
Goal of the Year
Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba