Egyptian Mohamed Salah has been voted BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2017.<\/p>\n
Following a record number of votes, the Liverpool star won ahead of Gabon\u2019s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Guinean Naby Keita, Sadio Mane of Senegal and Nigeria\u2019s Victor Moses.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very happy to win this award,\u201d the 25-year-old told BBC Sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always a special feeling when you win something. I feel like I had a great year, so I\u2019m very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Salah, the Premier League\u2019s top scorer with 13 goals, has enjoyed a stellar year for both club and country.<\/p>\n
In early 2017, the forward was the central figure for Egypt as they finished runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations.<\/p>\n
He also had a hand in all seven of the goals that took the Pharaohs to their first World Cup since 1990 \u2013 assisting two and scoring five, including the\u00a0stoppage-time penalty against Congo\u00a0that qualified them for Russia.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be the best Egyptian ever so I work hard,\u201d added Salah, who is the third player from Egypt to win the award and first since 2008.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always follow my own way and I want everyone in Egypt to follow my way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Salah\u2019s form at club level as been every bit as impressive as it has in internationals.<\/p>\n
In Italy, he scored 15 goals and made 11 others as he helped Roma finish second in Serie A, their best league placing in seven years, prior to joining Liverpool and scoring\u00a013 times in his first 16\u00a0league games.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to thank my Liverpool team-mates and I also had a good season with Roma so I have to thank my team-mates there and my team-mates in the national team,\u201d said Salah.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince I came here, I wanted to work hard and show everyone my football. I wanted to come back to the Premier League since I left, so I am very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Salah has taken the Premier League by storm this season, in contrast to a less impressive spell in the division with Chelsea between 2014-15.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s well-deserved,\u201d said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who handed the trophy to the player at the club\u2019s Melwood training academy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am a really lucky person. I had the opportunity to work with a few outstanding players and I am happy that it is now with Mo.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe good thing is that he is still young, there is a lot of space for improvement, a lot of potential still that we can work on, but that\u2019s how it should be. It\u2019s a big pleasure, to be honest, to work with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
By winning the BBC African Footballer of the year prize Salah adds his name to a list of legends including Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) and Michael Essien (Ghana).<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very happy to be like them in winning this award,\u201d said Salah, who follows compatriots\u00a0Mohamed Barakat\u00a0(2005) and\u00a0Mohamed Aboutrika(2008) in receiving the trophy.<\/p>\n
2016:\u00a0Riyad Mahrez\u00a0(Leicester City & Algeria)<\/p>\n
2015:\u00a0Yaya Toure\u00a0(Manchester City & Ivory Coast)<\/p>\n
2014:\u00a0Yacine Brahimi\u00a0(Porto & Algeria)<\/p>\n
2013:\u00a0Yaya Toure\u00a0(Manchester City & Ivory Coast)<\/p>\n
2012:\u00a0Chris Katongo\u00a0(Henan Construction & Zambia)<\/p>\n
2011:\u00a0Andre Ayew\u00a0(Marseille & Ghana)<\/p>\n
2010:\u00a0Asamoah Gyan\u00a0(Sunderland & Ghana)<\/p>\n
2009:\u00a0Didier Drogba\u00a0(Chelsea & Ivory Coast)<\/p>\n
2008:\u00a0Mohamed Aboutrika\u00a0(Al Ahly & Egypt)<\/p>\n
2007:\u00a0Emmanuel Adebayor\u00a0(Arsenal & Togo)<\/p>\n
2006:\u00a0Michael Essien\u00a0(Chelsea & Ghana)<\/p>\n
2005:\u00a0Mohamed Barakat\u00a0(Al Ahly & Egypt)<\/p>\n
2004:\u00a0Jay-Jay Okocha\u00a0(Bolton & Nigeria)<\/p>\n
2003:\u00a0Jay-Jay Okocha\u00a0(Bolton & Nigeria)<\/p>\n
2002:\u00a0El Hadji Diouf\u00a0(Liverpool & Senegal)<\/p>\n
2001:\u00a0Sammy Kuffour\u00a0(Bayern Munich & Ghana)<\/p>\n
2000:\u00a0Patrick Mboma\u00a0(Parma & Cameroon)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Egyptian Mohamed Salah has been voted BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2017. Following a record number of votes, the Liverpool star won ahead of Gabon\u2019s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Guinean Naby Keita, Sadio Mane of Senegal and Nigeria\u2019s Victor Moses. \u201cI am very happy to win this award,\u201d the 25-year-old told BBC Sport. \u201cIt\u2019s always […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":382670,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[142],"tags":[15385,1985],"yoast_head":"\n