World Cup-bound Egypt emerged as the biggest winners of the 2017 CAF Awards in Accra, Ghana, after they scooped the most prestigious African Player of the Year, National Team of the Year as well as Coach of the Year.
Egypt beat Super Eagles to take home the National Team of the Year, while their coach, Hector Cuper, denied Super Eagles’ coach Gernot Rohr the Coach of the Year.
Both countries will feature in this year’s World Cup in Russia, but Nigeria’s undoing in this contest was that they failed to qualify for AFCON 2017 in Gabon, where the Pharaohs were beaten in the championship game by Cameroon.
Mohamed Salah’s red-hot form in the past year for both Roma and Liverpool as well as Egypt was aptly recognised when he was bestowed with the African player of the Year Award.
He beat 2015 winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon) and Sadio Mane (Senegal).
“This is a dream come true,” Salah said when he received his award.
“I thank my family and all those who made this possible.
“This is a big award, a special moment in my career.
“I want to dedicate this award to all the children in Egypt and Africa and tell them to never stop dreaming.”
