Jan 12, 2016 Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang recently edged out Yaya Toure to become the African Footballer of the Year at the Confederation of African Football award ceremony.
The prolific Borussia Dortmund forward, who is the first player from the central African country to win the award, received 143 votes against Toure’s 136.
Aubameyang’s accolade came on the heel of a trophy-less season. However he scored 29 Bundesliga goals in 2015, including 18 this season plus a further seven in the Europa League.
Speaking after the ceremony, Aubameyang said:
“When you have contenders like Yaya Toure or (Dede) Ayew, it’s quite a big achievement to win such a trophy because those are great players; I have a lot of admiration for them,”
On the other end, Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure expressed his disappointment at not being announced winner.
Commenting on this year’s edition, Yaya Toure, who had won the award for an unprecedented four years in succession from 2011 to 2015 said:
“I’m quite disappointed but I don’t want to complain too much you know what I mean, I just want to give credit as well to Aubameyang as well he has been doing well this year and we are quite disappointed as well and now we just have to play football and try to do our own best,”