Villareal present special gift to Senegal’s Boulaye Dia following AFCON triumph
FootballCAF Player of the Year Awards Set To Be Held at the End of March
- The 2021 African Player of the Year awards gala could be held at the end of March after it was postponed due to venue
- The award will be held in March where the best player for club and country in 2021 will be honored
- Last year the awards ceremony was boycotted because of the outbreak of COVID-19 which affected several events
The Confederation of African Football is set to organise the 2021 Africa Player of the year award later in March as discussions over a venue begins.
The 2020 edition, which should have been hosted in January 2021 had to be boycotted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, according to 13 Football, the ceremony will be held this year with a venue yet to be confirmed by CAF.
The last player to win the award was Senegal's Sadio Mané in 2019 and will face stiff competition from countryman Edouard Mendy. Mané was named AFCON player of the tournament early February.
Previously Riyad Mahrez and Mohamed Salah won the award and are still in line for the top accolade.
Assisat Oshoala of Nigeria and South Africa's Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana are favourites for the female Player of the Year award.
Ghana's Evelyn Badu could compete for the young player award after her heroics with Hasaacas Ladies last year.
Sadio Mane wins player of the tournament at AFCON
Earlier, Sports Brief Senegal's penalty winning hero, Sadio Mane, has been crowned the best player at the just ended Africa Cup of Nations after leading the Teranga Lions to their first ever AFCON glory.
The Liverpool star was joined on the podium by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who was awarded the golden glove, with Cameroon's Vincent Aboubakar scooping the golden boot.
Mane starred at the tournament for Senegal, scoring three goals and providing two assists as they won the trophy for the first time in their history.
Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy adds another accolade to his list of laurels
FootballSenegal fans celebrate AFCON success
Senegal fans celebrated wildly the country’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations triumph supporters as the Teranga Lions overcame Egypt via penalties.
Sadio Mane who had initially missed a spot-kick during the regulation time was the hero for Senegal as he converted the final penalty to give the West Africans a 4-2 victory.
According to The Punch, hundreds of supporters in Senegal jerseys flocked to Independence Square, near the presidential palace in the heart of Dakar, to celebrate.