National team skipper Stephen Appiah has been voted Ghanaweb Foreign-based Soccer Player of the Year for the 2002-03 season. He beat last year’s winner Samuel Kuffour and midfield sensation Michael Essien to the title.

Over a thousand fans took part in the online poll conducted at ghanaweb.com, with the Italian-based player narrowly beating the German-based player by a 1% margin.

Appiah, who was on loan from Parma to Brescia, got 31% of the votes cast, with the Bayern Munich defender getting 30%.

France-based sensation Essien was third with 23%.

Augustine Ahinful, who was fourth in the poll, won the golden boot award for the second year running. He was the top Ghanaian scorer in a European league

 Stephen Appiah	    31.4% 
 Samuel Kuffour	    29.8%
 Michael Essien	    23.5%
 Augustine Ahinful    5.8%
 Yakubu Abubakari     5.8%
 Mathew Amoah	     3.1%
 Godfried Aduobe	     0.5%