Sadio Mane 'honoured' to win second African Player of the Year award

Sadio Mane said he was "honoured" to be crowned African Player of the Year for a second time.

The Senegal forward, 30, was named the continent's best player at an awards ceremony in Rabat on Thursday.

Mane first won the honour in 2019 while he was at Liverpool. He left the Premier League club last month after signing a three-year deal with Bayern Munich.

"I am really honoured and highly delighted to receive this award again," Mane said.

"Thanks to my coaches, my club and national team colleagues and those friends who stood by me during difficult times."

Mane was in the Moroccan capital to receive the award after a dash across the Atlantic having converted a penalty for his new club in a 6-2 pre-season friendly win over DC United in Washington on Wednesday.

It was the second successive continental player-of-the-year award for Mane after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the last two editions.

He won ahead of former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah from Egypt and fellow Senegal international and Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Sadio Mane at the Allianz Arena after completing his move to German champions Bayern Munich from Liverpool on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. AFP

Mane and Salah played pivotal roles last season with Liverpool, who lifted the FA Cup and English League Cup and finished runners-up in the Premier League and Champions League.

Salah has since signed a new contract at Anfield while Mane opted for a move, with Bayern reportedly paying a fee that could rise to €41 million.

The duo have engaged in an intense rivalry for their countries, with Salah's Egypt losing out to Mane and Senegal in epic matches in the Africa Cup of Nations final and World Cup finals eliminator.

Mane who came out of both