Trunk call: Elephants' frontman was not present to
personally collect the award
Didier Drogba has been crowned African Footballer of the
Year for 2009. The Ivory Coast striker saw off
competition from Chelsea team-mate Michael Essien of Ghana and
Cameroon forward Samuel Eto'o, now at Inter Milan, to take the
prize at the awards ceremony in Accra.
Drogba, who turned 32 on Thursday, claimed the honour for the
second time in his career having first won it in 2006.
Drogba was not present to personally collect the award, with an
official of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) collecting it on
his behalf.
The Elephants' frontman, nominated on the final three-man
shortlist alongside Essien and Eto'o, succeeds Manchester City's
Emmanuel Adebayor. The winner was decided by votes from the coaches
of the national associations affiliated to the Confederation of
African Football (CAF).
Ghana were the other big winners on the night with striker
Dominic Adiyiah picking up the Young Player of the Year award ahead
of South African Kermit Erasmus of Feyenoord and Nigeria's Sani
Emmanuel from Bodens BK.
Sellas Tetteh was named Coach of the Year having led the Black
Stars' Under-20 side to World Cup glory last year.
There was also success for the Democratic Republic of Congo, who
scooped the Africa Club of the Year and Best Player on the
Continent awards in the form of Champions League winners TP Mazembe
and their captain Tresor Mputu Mabi.
England's World Cup opponents Algeria were rewarded for
qualifying for the finals for the first time in 24 years and
reaching the African Nations Cup last four by being named National
Team of the Year.