Senegalese star Sadio Mane won the Golden Ball award as the best African player of the year 2022, surpassing the Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, and crowned the award during the ceremony held in the Moroccan city of Rabat today, Thursday.

This is the second time that Mane won the African Golden Ball, after he was crowned in the last edition in 2019, where it was canceled in the past two years due to the Corona epidemic.

No. 1 👆


Best 🥇


Golden 👑 Teranga


Lion 🦁

Sadio Mane is the best player in Africa 2022, for the second time in the Senegalese Lion's career 🇸🇳#CAFAwards2022 pic.twitter.com/R3HaBsaaHT

— #CAFAwards2022 - Arabic (@caf_online_AR) July 21, 2022

He suggested the Senegalese star in the struggle for the award, as he led Senegal to win the African Nations Cup for the first time in its history in the edition that was held this year in Cameroon.

Mane also led his country to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Mane and Salah contributed to the appearance of their Liverpool team in the Champions League final and the loss to Real Madrid 1-0, before Mane moved to Bayern Munich after the end of the season.

😉 #CAFAwards2022 pic.twitter.com/YoY4yUpRe2

— #CAFAwards2022 (@CAF_Online) July 21, 2022

The funny thing is that Mane's credentials for the award are what kept Salah away from her, as the Egyptian team lost on penalties to Senegal in the final of the African Nations Cup, which was repeated in the deciding confrontation to qualify for the World Cup.

Salah was not satisfied with his remarkable brilliance with his team Liverpool, and he shared the title of top scorer in the English Premier League this season with the South Korean, Hyun Min Son, the star of Tottenham.

Salah won the African Player of the Year award in 2017 and 2018.

Look who is here!

🤩#CAFAwards2022 pic.twitter.com/mGeC32GRIK

— #CAFAwards2022 (@CAF_Online) July 21, 2022

Senegal and its stars won the lion's share of the awards, crowning them with the best team, coach and young player, in addition to the Grand Prix of Sadio Mane.

The rest of the African Union awards were as follows:

  • Nigeria's Assisat Ashwala, the best African professional footballer, for the fifth time in history.

  • Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy is the best player on the African continent.

  • Ghanaian player Evelyn Baddou, defender of Hasakas, was named the best African player and was also named the best young player.

  • Wydad Casablanca, the Moroccan champions of the African Champions League, the best team within the continent for 2022.

  • Mamelodi Sundowns is the best women's team after winning the first edition of the African Champions League.

  • Senegal is the best team.

  • Senegal coach Aliou Cisse is the best coach.

  • Babi Osmani Sakho, the Simba star, won the award for the best goal in Africa.

Wonderful scissors from another world!

☄️

Babi Osmani Sakho, the Simba star, won the award for the best goal in Africa for the year 2022 😍#CAFAwards2022 |

@ousmane10_sakho pic.twitter.com/MVDYe1tXmC

— #CAFAwards2022 - Arabic (@caf_online_AR) July 21, 2022

  • South Africa coach Desire Ellis is the best coach.

  • Senegalese Baba Matar Sarr is the best young player.

It is noteworthy that the winners were chosen based on the votes of the CAF Technical Committee and a selection of journalists, as well as coaches and leaders of African teams.