Kuffour Snubbed....

... as Diouf is voted African Footballer of the Year
JOHANNESBURG(AFP) -- The African love affair with flair continued here Tuesday when Senegal striker El-Hadji Diouf was voted Footballer of the Year.
Diouf, the most recognisable peroxide blond on the continent, collected 93 votes in a poll among African Football Confederation (Caf) media and technical committee members.

Ghana defender and favourite Samuel Kuffour finished runner-up with 66 votes and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o received 34 to come third for the second consecutive year.

Kuffour from German champions Bayern Munich was disappointed after pre-ceremony comments that he would be a worthy recipient of the ultimate individual accolade for African footballers.

Previous Winners

2001 - El-Hadji Diouf

2000 - Patrick Mboma

1999 - Nwankwo Kanu

1998 - Mustapha Hadji

1997 - Victor Ikpeba

1996 - Nwankwo Kanu

1995 - George Weah

1994 -Amunike/Weah

1993 - Abedi 'Pele' Ayew (Gha)

1992 - Abedi 'Pele' Ayew (Gha)

1991 - Abedi 'Pele' Ayew (Gha)

1990 - Roger Milla (Cmr)

1989 - George Weah (Lbr)

1988 - Kalusha Bwalya (Zam)

1987 - Rabah Madjer (Alg)

1986 - Badou Zaki (Mar)

1985 - Mohamed Timoumi (Mar)

1984 - Theophile Abega (Cmr)

1983 - Mahmoud al-Khatib (Egy)

1982 - Thomas N'Kono (Cmr)

1981 - Lakhdar Belloumi (Alg)

1980 - Jean-Manga Onguene (Cmr)

1979 - Thomas N'Kono (Cmr)

1978 - Abdul Razak (Gha)

1977 - Tarak Dhiab (Tun)

1976 - Roger Milla (Cmr)

1975 - Ahmed Faras (Mar)

1974 - Paul Moukila (Cgo)

1973 - Tshimen Bwanda (DR Congo)

1972 - Cherif Souleymane(Gui)

1971 - Ibrahim Sunday (Gha)

1970 - Salif Keita (Mli)

No defender has topped the poll since its introduction 32 years ago, although goalkeepers Thomas 'Black Spider' N'Kono of Cameroon (twice) and Badou Zaki of Morocco were previous winners.

It was a memorable night for Senegal, who shredded the form book by qualifying for the World Cup finals from a group including more fancied Morocco and Egypt. France-born Bruno Metsu was voted Coach of the Year and his Senegalese 'Lions' took the National team of the Year award.

Hosts South Africa had cause for celebration with Kaizer Chiefs judged the Club of the Year and Southern Africa also hit the jackpot in the Champions League Player of the Year category through Angolan striker Flavio Amado.

Other winners included Egyptian goalkeeper Essam al-Hadary (Save of the Year), Tunisian midfielder Zoubier Baya (Goal of the Year) and Ghanaian striker Derek Boateng (Young Player of the Year).

Diouf from French club Lens sprang to prominence last year with a host of World Cup qualifying goals, and none was more important than the winner against Morocco in Dakar.

Summary

Footballer of the Year: El-Hadji Diouf (Sen)
National team of the Year: Senegal
Club of the Year: Kaizer Chiefs (Rsa)
Coach of the Year; Bruno Metsu (Sen)

Champions League Player of the Year: Flavio Amado (Petro Atletico/Ang)
Goal of the Year: Zoubeir Baya (Tun)
Save of the Year: Essam al-Hadary (Al-Ahly/Egy)

Young Player of the Year: Derek Boateng (Gha)
Merit award: Abdelhamid Bassiouni (Egy) for 117-second hat-trick against Namibia in a World Cup qualifier
Special achievement award: Petro Atletico (Ang)
Career merit award: Said Belqola (Mar)
Fair play award: Nigeria national team
Women in Football Achievement Award: Nastasia Tsichlas (Sundowns/Rsa)
Best indoor footballer: Tamer Ismail (Egy)