Liverpool sensation Mohamed Salah was crowned African Player of the Year 2017 at the Aiteo CAF Awards Gala 2017, held on Thursday, 4 January 2018, at the International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana.

The manager and captain of each national team were given the opportunity to nominate a first, second, third, fourth and fifth choice for the award; independent media and TV consultants  also had a say in the voting.

Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel voted for Victor Moses (first), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (second), Mohamed Salah (third), Naby Keita (fourth) and Sadio Mane (fifth).

Super Eagles Franco-German coach Gernot Rohr opted for Victor Moses, Denis Onyango, Vincent Aboubakar, Keita Baldé and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Victor Moses also picked up nominations from the coaches of Swaziland, Namibia and South Sudan, and the captain of South Sudan.

The Nigeria international finished fourth in the overall votes with 215 points, 410 less than the winner Mohamed Salah.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel