Soccer
Drogba crowned Africa's best
2010-03-12 07:09
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Accra - Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba was named African Footballer of the Year on Thursday, beating Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Ghana's Michael Essien for the 2009 award.
It is the second time Chelsea striker Drogba, who celebrated his 32nd birthday on Thursday, has won the award after his previous success in 2006.
He helped his country through a convincing World Cup qualifying campaign in 2009, during which he netted five goals as the Ivorians finished unbeaten. Drogba also scored for Chelsea as they won the FA Cup final.
None of the three candidates travelled to Ghana's capital for the annual Confederation of African Football (CAF) awards, where World Cup-bound Algeria were named Team of the Year.
Winners of the Africa Footballer of the Year award:
1970 - Salif Keita, Mali
1971 - Ibrahim Sunday, Ghana
1972 - Cherif Souleymane, Guinea
1973 - Tshimen Bwanga, Zaire
1974 - Paul Moukila, Congo
1975 - Ahmed Faras, Morocco
1976 - Roger Milla, Cameroon
1977 - Tarak Dhiab, Tunisia
1978 - Karim Abdoul Razak, Ghana
1979 - Thomas N'Kono, Cameroon
1980 - Jean Manga Onguene, Cameroon
1981 - Lakhdar Belloumi, Algeria
1982 - Thomas N'Kono, Cameroon
1983 - Mahmoud Al Khatib, Egypt
1984 - Theophile Abega, Cameroon
1985 - Mohamed Timoumi, Morocco
1986 - Badou Zaki, Morocco
1987 - Rabah Madjer, Algeria
1988 - Kalusha Bwalya, Zambia
1989 - George Weah, Liberia
1990 - Roger Milla, Cameroon
1991 - Abedi Pele, Ghana
1992 - Abedi Pele, Ghana
1993 - Abedi Pele, Ghana
1994 - George Weah, Liberia (FF)
1994 - Emmanuel Amunike, Nigeria (CAF)
1995 - George Weah, Liberia
1996 - Nwankwo Kanu, Nigeria
1997 - Victor Ikpeba, Nigeria
1998 - Mustapha Hadji, Morocco
1999 - Nwankwo Kanu, Nigeria
2000 - Patrick Mboma, Cameroon
2001 - El Hadji Diouf, Senegal
2002 - El Hadji Diouf, Senegal
2003 - Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon
2004 - Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon
2005 - Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon
2006 - Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast
2007 - Frederic Kanoute, Mali
2008 - Emmanuel Adebayor, Togo
2009 - Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast