International Football
YES! SALAH IS AFRICA’S BEST
Expectedly, Egyptian playmaker Mohamed Salah etched his name into football history after being crowned African Player of the Year 2017 in Accra, Ghana on Thursday night.
The 25-year old, who plays for English side Liverpool picked the topmost prize at the Aiteo CAF Awards Gala 2017, held at the International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana.
Salah fended off opposition from club-mate Sadio Mane of Senegal and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, winner in 2015, to become the first Egyptian to win the most prestigious individual honour in African football.
He polled 625 points, against 507 from Mane whilst Aubameyang finished a distant third with 311 points.
The feat capped a superb year for the forward who played an influential role for both club and country during the year under review.
Salah’s feat was the climax of a memorable evening for Egyptian football which saw the Pharaohs being named National Team of the Year and Argentina-born trainer, Hector Cuper, Coach of the Year.
Nigerian Asisat Oshoala was adjudged Women’s Player of the Year for the third time, after 2014 and 2016.
She beat Cameroonian Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene and Chrestina Kgatlana of South Africa to the top prize.
However, Kgatlana took consolation in Banyana Banyana being named Women’s National Team of the Year.
Patson Daka ensured Zambia was represented on the podium with the Youth Player of the Year, ten years after compatriot Clifford Mulenga was decorated Most Promising Talent of the Year.
African champions, Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco deservingly went home with the Club of the Year award.
Former Ghana player Ibrahim Sunday, a member of the Asante Kotoko squad that won the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1970 was decorated with the Legend award.
CAF Executive Committee member, Ahmed Yahya, who doubles as president of the Mauritania Football Federation was named Football Leader of the Year.
There were two Platinum Awards, one to Ghana President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and global football icon, George Weah, now President-elect of Liberia.
The ceremony which was beamed live to millions across the world had Ghana President Akufo-Addo, Fatma Samoura – FIFA General Secretary amongst some high profile attendees.
There were also musical performances from Toofan from Togo, DR Congo’s Fally Ipupa, and Nigerian septet of Patoranking, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Phyno and Flavour.
Awards
African Player of the Year
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Women’s Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dalian Quanjian)
Youth Player of the Year
Patson Daka (Zambia & Liefering)
Coach of the Year
Hector Cuper (Egypt)
Club of the Year
Wydad Athletic Club
National Team of the Year
Egypt
Women’s National Team of the Year
South Africa
Legend
Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana)
Platinum Award
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo – President of Ghana
George Weah – President-elect of Liberia & former World, Africa and European Player of the Year
Fans’ Finest XI
Goalkeeper: Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel)
Defenders: Ahmed Fathi (Egypt & Al Ahly), Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United), Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
Midfielders: Mohamed Ounnajem (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club), Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord), Junior Ajayi (Nigeria & Al Ahly), Achraf Bencharki (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
Forwards: Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool), Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
This is my story: Odegbami on how he is stranded in London
BREAKING! Odegbami stranded in London as saboteurs cause travel chaos in France before Opening Ceremony
Host club at Super Falcons’ Olympic match venue, Bordeaux is bankrupt
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Nigerian Football1 week agoI prefer a foreign coach for the Super Eagles, says Amaju
-
Olympics5 days agoBrazilian women train in Zidane’s birthplace ahead of Nigeria Super Falcons clash
-
Premier League1 week agoNigerian-born Man United’s new striker promises creativity and unpredictability to fans
-
Olympics11 hours agoThis is my story: Odegbami on how he is stranded in London
-
Nigerian Football1 week agoOsimhen’s outburst was a moment of madness, says Amaju
-
Olympics6 days agoTeams plan for lack of toilets on Paris opening ceremony barges
-
OBITUARY1 day agoBREAKING! Former Heartland FC owner, Iwuanyanwu, dies at 81
-
Olympics4 days agoSuper Falcons’ opponent, Brazil’s Marta and 3 Africans listed among 10 footballers to watch at Paris 2024