Togolese and Arsenal Forward Emmanuel Adebayor Wins CAF Award

Emmanuel Adebayor Adebayor won the award ahead of Mohamed Aboutrika
Togo and Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor was named the Confederation of African Football's Player of the Year on Tuesday night in Lagos Nigeria. The award sponsored by Globalcom Nigeria had a lot of dignitaries in attendance.

He took the award ahead Mohamed Aboutrika of Egypt who had earlier won the BBC African Footballer of The year 2008 award.

This latest award comes a little over a month after being named the African Player of the Year 2008 by Super Magazine.

The award was voted for by the national team coaches of the 54 CAF member nations and the striker beat off the attentions of Chelsea star Michael Essien to lift the crystal trophy.

Blues forward Salomon Kalou was named the CAF Young Player of the Year.
Caf's figures gave Adebayor 74 points to Aboutrika's 53.

Adebayor scored total of 30 goals last season in the premierleague and for Togo.

"I'm highly honoured by what I have done in African football," said Adebayor at the awards ceremony in the Nigerian city of Lagos.

"Now that the World Cup is coming close and is in Africa, we'll work hard to win the championship."

Aboutrika won the Inter-Clubs Player of the Year award, for locally based players.

His club, Al Ahly, was voted Club of the Year, while Africa Cup of Nations winners Egypt won the National Team of the Year award and their coach Hassan Shehata was voted Coach of the Year.
Caf Award Winners:
Caf Player of the Year Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo) Inter-Club Player of the Year Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly) National Team of the Year Egypt Club of the Year Al Ahly (Egypt) Young Player of the Year Salomon Kalou (Chelsea and Ivory Coast) Women's footballer of the year Alice Mattlou (South Africa) Coach of the Year Hassan Shehata (Egypt)

The Togolese who has a Nigerian origin (ftaher from Osun state in Nigeria), was there for the award with his mother and brother. He dedicated the award to his mother. We did not see other players like Cesc and Coach Arsene Wenger, who were rumoured will accompany Adebayor to the awards.