Samuel Eto’o has been named African Footballer of the Year for 2010 ahead of Didier Drogba and Asamoah Gyan.
The three forwards made up the shortlist at the annual Confederation of African Football awards ceremony in Cairo, with the winner being voted for by the coaches and captains of the continent’s 53 national teams
Eto’o came out on top despite enduring a wretched 12 months with Cameroon, who lost all three of their group games at the World Cup and disappointed at the African Cup of Nations.
He was in stunning form at club level though, helping Inter Milan win a spectacular treble last season and then clinch Club World Cup glory earlier this month.
It is the fourth time in his career that Eto’o, 29, has claimed the prize after winning three times in a row from 2003.
TP Mazembe, the four-time African Champions League winners who stunned Internacional of Brazil 2-0 in the United Arab Emirates last week before finishing runners-up to Inter Milan, were named Club of the Year.
Milovan Rajevac, the humble Serbian coach who made 2010 such a memorable year for Ghana, took the Coach of the Year award. He resigned after the World Cup to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad Jeddah.
Other award winners included Al-Ahly and Egypt midfielder Ahmed Hassan (Africa-based Player) and Ghana midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah (Most Promising Talent) while Ghana were predictably named best national team after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals.
Skysports
I don’t understand why the french speaking african countries always win the award> is there is reason? I’m not jealous or anything , but we’ve to find out the reason and then find a new way to conduct the voting. For one thing I know dat there’re more french speaking coutries than english speaking countries? Is the vote based on who really plays well, or who speaks my language?
I’m just asking.
BTW, congratulations to Eto’o