Sadio Mane, Achraf Hakimi, Youcef Belaïli and Desiree Ellis all returned home with a laurel at the CAF Awards 2019 organized by the Confederation of African Football on Tuesday night at the Theatre du Chatelet in Hurghada, Egypt.
The CAF awards ceremony celebrates African footballers and officials who have distinguished themselves during 2019.
The continent's sport elite come together to be crowned the best in the game.
Mane was handed his maiden African Footballer of The Year award after thrice before appearing on the final list.
As a result, the 27-year-old becomes just the second Senegalese to win the coveted title. El Hadji Diouf bagged it in 2001 and 2002.
Mane also succeeds teammate in England, Mohamed Salah of Egypt who has been named Africa’s best footballer in the past two years.
The winger had been the favourite for the award, and rightfully scooped it.
Salah, meanwhile couldn't win on home soil, while Riyadh Mahrez - who was absent at the event due to club engagement - would have to wait for another time.
It's the first time since 2016 that the award will not go to North Africa.
Already, a lot of football enthusiasts expected Mane to win the award.
Mane's latest feat add to the growing list of accolades won by a player widely considered one of the best players in the world.
He lifted the UEFA Champions League last year and ended the 2018-19 season as joint-top scorer in the English Premier League (EPL). He has also been outstanding for Jurgen Klopp's side this campaign, netting 11 Premier League goals as the Reds remain unbeaten in the English top flight.
Notable personalities among the audience in Egypt include: Ahmad Ahmad, CAF President; Juan Pablo Angel, former Aston Villa striker; Kanu Nwankwo, Super Eagles of Nigeria legend; Daniel Amokachi, erstwhile Super Eagles Assistant Coach; Arsene Wenger, ex-Arsenal manager, among others.
See list of all the winners below:
Player of the Year: Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool)
Women’s Player of the Year: (Asisat Oshoala/Nigeria and FC Barcelona FemenÃ)
Interclubs Player of the Year: Youcef Belaïli (Algeria and Esperance/Ahli Jeddah)
Youth Player of the Year: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Borussia Dortmund)
Men’s Coach of the Year: (Djamel Belmadi (Algeria - Algeria)
Women’s Coach of the Year: Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Men’s National Team of the Year (Algeria)
Women’s National Team of the Year (Cameroon)
Goal of the Year: (Algeria's Riyad Mahrez versus Nigeria, AFCON 2019)
Special Award: Kodjovi Obilale (Togo)
Federation of the Year award: The Egyptian Football Association
African Club President of the Year: Moise Katumbi (TP Mazembe)
African Best 11
Andrey Onana (Cameroon)
Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast)
Joel Matip (Cameroon)
Koulibaly Kalidou (Senegal)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Idrissa Gueye (Senegal)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
Sadio Mane (Senegal)
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