The Confederation of African Football (Caf) named Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o as the continent’s Footballer of the Year for the second year running on Tuesday. In a widely-tipped result, the Barcelona player earned 116 votes to finish ahead of Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba (90) and Nigerian midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha (63).
For the first time, the player of the year was decided by a poll of each of Caf’s member associations and Eto’o becomes only the fourth player to win the award in consecutive years.
Yet the 23-year-old was not in the South African city of Durban to collect his trophy since he is participating in Fifa’s charity match for victims of the Asian tsunami in Barcelona’s Camp Nou.
« It is a very proud moment for me and my country, » the Indomitable Lion announced by video link.
Unsurprisingly, last year’s African champions Tunisia were among the evening’s other major winners as the Carthage Eagles were named team of the year.
Yet the coach of the year award went to Okey Emordi, who guided Nigeria’s Enyimba to a successful defence of their Champions League trophy.
Enyimba were also named the African club of the year following their defeat of Tunisia’s Etoile Sahel in the final last December.
Two other Nigerians celebrating awards were Obafemi Martins of Italy’s Inter Milan, who retained his young player of the year award, and Vincent Enyeama, who was named the best player in last year’s Champions League.
Meanwhile, South African striker Benni McCarthy won goal of the year for his second strike, a stunning header, for Portugal’s eventual European champions Porto against Manchester United last February.
THE MAJOR WINNERS AT CAF’S 2004 AWARDS
–Footballer of the Year: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon and Barcelona, Spain)
–Young Player of the Year: Obafemi Martins (Nigeria and Inter Milan, Italy)
–Coach of the Year: Okey Emordi (Enyimba, Nigeria)
–Club of the Year: Enyimba (Nigeria)
–Team of the Year: Tunisia
–Best African Champions League player: Vincent Enyeama (Enyimba, Nigeria)
–Goalkeeper of the Year: Ali Boumnijel (Tunisia and Club Africain, Tunisia)
–Best goal of the year: Benni McCarthy (South Africa) – Porto (Portugal) versus Manchester United (England), Uefa Champions League, 25 February 2004
–Female Footballer of the Year: Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)
