Riyad Mahrez is Africa’s best player

Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez has joined the table of Africa’s top footballers after being crowned the 2016 Footballer of the Year on Thursday. The Leicester City player beat last year’s winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and English Premier League mate Sadio Mane to the top gong.

Riyad thus becomes the second North African after Morocco’s Mustapha Hadji to win the prestigious award. Ugandan shot stopper Dennis Onyango was also crowned the Best Player based in Africa. He beat clubmate Khama Billiat of Zimbabwe and TP Mazembe’s Rainford Kalaba of Zambia to the award. His country, Uganda, was also named the National Team of the Year while his club Mamelodi Sundowns won the Club of the Year. Sundowns’ Coach Pitso Mosimane was named the Coach of the Year. Full List of Award Winners African Player of the Year

1. Riyad MAHREZ (Algeria & Leicester City) – 361 votes
2. Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund) – 313 votes
3. Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool) – 186 votes

African Player of the Year – Based in Africa

1. Denis ONYANGO (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns) – 252 votes
2. Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns) – 228 votes
3. Rainford KALABA (Zambia & TP Mazembe) – 206 votes

Women’s player of the Year Asisat OSHOALA (Nigeria & Arsenal Ladies) Most Promising Talent Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester City) Youth Player of the Year Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal) Coach of the Year Pitso MOSIMANE (Mamelodi Sundowns) Club of the Year Mamelodi Sundowns National Team of the Year                                                     Uganda Women’s National Team of the Year Nigeria Referee of the Year Bakary Papa GASSAMA (Gambia) Football Leader of the Year Manuel LOPES NASCIMENTO, President of Guinea Bissau Football Federation Legend Award Laurent POKOU – Former player of Cote d’Ivoire Emilienne MBANGO – Former player of Cameroon Platinum Award His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Africa Finest XI Goalkeeper: Denis ONYANGO (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns) Defenders: Serge AURIER (Cote d’Ivoire & Paris Saint-Germain), Aymen ABDENNOUR (Tunisia & Valencia), Eric BAILLY (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United), Joyce LOMALISA (DR Congo & AS Vita) Midfielders: Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns), Rainford KALABA (Zambia & TP Mazembe), Keegan DOLLY (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns), Forwards: Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund), Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool), Riyad MAHREZ (Algeria & Leicester City) Substitutes Aymen MATHLOUTHI (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel), Kalidou KOULIBALY (Senegal & Napoli), Salif COULIBALY (Mali & TP Mazembe), Islam SLIMANI (Algeria & Leicester City), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma), Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester City), Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal) Source: editors.3news.com|Ghana Follow @3Newsgh