Salah Joins Okocha, Drogba, as BBC Africa Best Player

By winning the BBC African Footballer of the year prize Mohamed Salah has added his name to a list of legends including Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) and Michael Essien (Ghana).

Salah was on Monday voted the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2017 beating Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Naby Keita and Nigerian Victor Moses to the honor.

Salah becomes the third Egyptian to be so crowned with the award since Mohamed Barakat (2005) and Mohamed Aboutrika who won it in 2008 – both as players of Al Ahly.

The 25-year-old forward was handed the award by his Liverpool coach, Jurgen Klopp.

Several African Legends have picked the award since its inception in 1992.

Speaking afterwards Salah said, ” I’m happy to be like them to win this award. It’s always a special feeling when you win something; you like you did a great season, a good year. I’m very happy to win this and I just have to give more and work more.”

The Egyptian International dethrones Riyad Mahrez who won the award last year after Leicester City clinched the EPL title.

Salah Crowned BBC Africa Best Player for 2017. He joins Okcha, Drogba, and others who are Legends in the category

Previous winners

2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City & Algeria)

2015: Yaya Toure (Manchester City & Ivory Coast)

2014: Yacine Brahimi (Porto & Algeria)

2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City & Ivory Coast)

2012: Chris Katongo (Henan Construction & Zambia)

2011: Andre Ayew (Marseille & Ghana)

2010: Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland & Ghana)

2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast)

2008: Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt)

2007: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal & Togo)

2006: Michael Essien (Chelsea & Ghana)

2005: Mohamed Barakat (Al Ahly & Egypt)

2004: Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)

2003: Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)

2002: El Hadji Diouf (Liverpool & Senegal)

2001: Sammy Kuffour (Bayern Munich & Ghana)

2000: Patrick Mboma (Parma & Cameroon)