Nigerian striker, Ahmed Musa, is rejoicing with his Leicester City teammate, Riyad Mahrez, over his emergence as the BBC African Footballer of the Year. In April, the Foxes’ ace became the first-ever African footballer to win the PFA Player of the Year for his exploits during the 2015/16 campaign, after scoring 17 goals and registering 11 assists to help his side win the Premier League title.
Now, he is City’s maiden winner of the prestigious BBC African Footballer of the Year prize,
piping Sadio Mane, Andre Ayew, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Yaya Toure to the award, after voting started in November. The Algerian international winger received overwhelming support from the footballing world, as he earned recognition for what proved to be a sensational year for the 25-year-old.
Under Claudio Ranieri, Mahrez started 2015/16 with a brace against Sunderland, while
crucial strikes against West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City all followed over August and September.
A hat-trick against Swansea City – the first in his professional career – came in December, before he went on to score a stunning solo goal against Chelsea and a brace of penalties at Everton to ensure the Foxes sat top of the Premier League table on Christmas Day.
That haul in front of goal saw him nominated for December’s Premier League Player of the
Month award, only to be beaten by Watford’s Odion Ighalo. While Mahrez didn’t strike again until early February, it was a goal worth waiting for.
In possession in the Manchester City half, he lifted the ball over Nicolas Otamendi and pulled off a step-over to slip past Martin Demichelis, before hammering home in front of the ecstatic Blue Army.
Mahrez has transformed his goal-scoring form onto the UEFA Champions League stage this term, scoring four times in five appearances, while a brilliant performance in the 4-2 triumph over Manchester City last time out saw him set up Jamie Vardy’s second with a perfectlyweighted first-time pass.
