BREAKING: Sadio Mane beats absent Mohamed Salah to be crowned African Player of the Year

Liverpool star Sadio Mane has beaten his Reds teammate Mohamed Salah to be named as Africa’s Footballer of the
Year for 2019.

Senegal star Mane picks up the award for the first time in his career having finished second in the last two seasons and third in 2016.

Egyptian icon Salah won the award in each of the last two years, but 2019 saw Mane’s importance to Liverpool grow to a level that equalled and often surpassed his teammate.

Mane’s 22 Premier League goals in the 2018/19 season led to him sharing the Golden Boot with Salah and Arsenal star
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Mane also finished ahead of Salah in voting for the 2019 Ballon d’Or award, coming in fourth ahead of the Egyptian in fifth.

READ: Mohamed Salah snubs Africa player of the year awards ceremony as Sadio Mane set to win the Award