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.
African Player of the Year – Based in Africa
His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
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