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Eto’o scoops African awards hat-trick

ABUJA: Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o Fils won his third successive Confederation of African Football (CAF) Player of the Year Award after he was picked ahead of Chelsea stars Didier Drogba and Michael Essien at an elaborate ceremony here on Thursday.

The 53 member nations of CAF voted for the winners of the annual awards. Eto’o won by the narrowest of margins, 108 points to Drogba’s 106, while Essien placed a distant third with 50 points. The Barcelona star also won the prestigious honour in 2003 and 2004 to now equal the record of Ghana’s Abedi Pele, who won the award in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Last year, Eto’o helped his team to win the Spanish league crown. An elated Eto’o dedicated his award to his mother and all the children of Africa.

“I wish to thank my mother, first and foremost. Secondly, I dedicate this award to all the people who helped me in my career,” he said. “Above all, I dedicate this to all the children of Africa.” He said he was lucky to have won the award for the third time running. “I have always dreamt of this moment and so I followed the exploits of such great players like Roger Milla, who made me continue to dream and believe in the strength of Africa,” he said.

“I also knew that if I listen to my coaches, teammates and my parents, I will be a great player also. The struggle became harder and harder but I got some luck to become an African legend because for the third time running, I have won this prestigious award. “So, young African brothers, you have to serve this beautiful continent.” Nigeria midfielder John Mikel Obi, 18, was named Africa’s best young player for the past year after he inspired the country’s team to reach the final of the FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands. He beat compatriot Taye Taiwo 29 points to 28. Nigeria’s Perpetua Nkwocha retained the African women’s top prize she first won in 2004.

African club champions Al Ahly, who put together a 55-game unbeaten run beginning from 2004, were picked as the Club of the Year while Stephen Keshi was voted Africa’s best coach for guiding unfancied Togo to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Rabeh Madjer of Algeria received a legend award in recognition of his past exploits. He starred for his native country at both the 1982 and 1986 World Cups and became the first African player to win a Champions League winners’ medal when his club FC Porto won the 1987 title. Other award winners were Al Ahly’s Mohammed Barakat (Inter-Club Player of the Year), Ivory Coast (Best National Team) while Cameroon won the Fair Play Award. afp

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