BREAKING NEWS: Mane emerges African Footballer of the Year

Sadio Mane was named African Footballer of the Year for 2019 on Tuesday after winning the Champions League with Liverpool and leading Senegal to the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Mane, 27, wins the award for the first time after finishing runner-up to his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah of Egypt in 2017 and 2018. He was third in 2016.

He is only the second Senegalese to win the award after El Hadji Diouf, who was the winner in 2001 and 2002. (Reuters)