Accra , Dec 23, GNA - Herewith the list of award winners at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards Gala held on Thursday, December 22 at the Banquet Hall, State House in Accra.
Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure beat Seydou Keita of Mali and Black Stars of Ghana midfielder Andre Ayew to win the most prestigious individual honour of African football.
It was yet again another close yet so far for Ghana as Ayew finished third behind Toure and Keita.
The 22-year old becomes the latest after Samuel Osei Kuffour (2001), Michael Essien (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) and Asamoah Gyan (2010) to miss narrowly on the coveted prize.
Abedi Pele remains the only Ghanaian to have laid claim to the top honour since its inception by the continent’s soccer governing body in 1992, when he won the maiden edition.
Below are the list award winners at the ceremony;
African Player of the Year 2011
Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Cote d’Ivoire)
African Player of the Year 2011 (Based in Africa)
Oussama Darragi (Esperance Sportive de Tunis and Tunisia)
National Team of the Year
Botswana
Women’s National Team of the Year
Cameroon
Club of the Year
Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
Most Promising Talent of the Year
Souleymane Coulibaly (Tottenham Hotspurs and Cote d’Ivoire)
Coach of the Year
Harouna Doula (Niger)
Women’s Footballer of the Year
Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)
Referee of the Year
Noumandiez Doue (Cote d’Ivoire)
Legend Award
Mustapha Hadji (Morocco)
Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha (Nigeria)
Fair Play Award
Libya
Platinum Award
John Evans Atta Mills (President of Ghana)