In spite of the publicity aimed at drumming supports to boost Vincent Enyeama’s chances of emerging as the BBC African Footballer of the Year, Algerian Yacine Brahimi defeated him and a couple of others to the title.
Voting statistics revealed that the total number of votes submitted from fans across the 207 countries registered with FIFA; put Brahimi on top of the list, beating Nigeria’s number 1, Enyeama, Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ivorian pair Gervinho. Interestingly, Brahimi also beat Yaya Toure, the Ivorian midfielder, to grab the title owing to the Algerian star’s performance at the last World Cup in Brazil.
No doubt, his emergence as BBC Footballer of the Year is an indication that fans recognised his outstanding efforts in Brazil 2014, which saw his country through to the round of 16 for the first time and also scoring his first international goal in the 4-2 defeat of South Korea at the group stage.
Yacine Brahimi becomes the first Algerian to be named African Footballer of the Year http://t.co/FiBxQp2SK8 pic.twitter.com/1qcizxc1Cw
— BBC Africa (@BBCAfrica)
Perhaps, if Enyeama had emerged as winner, he would have become the second Nigerian after Austin J.J Okocha, who won the BBC title both in 2003 and 2004 consecutively.
Brahimi, 24-year old FC Porto star was announced as the 2014 winner of the title on Monday, making him the first winner from Algeria. Speaking with BBC Sport, Brahimi expressed his joy saying: “It’s a big honour for me to receive this wonderful trophy. I owe it to my country, Algeria, and to all the people who voted for me. It’s also a trophy for the whole of Africa, because it rewards an African player. So I am really very happy".
Previous winners of BBC African Footballer of the Year award:
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City & Ivory Coast)
2012: Chris Katongo (Henan Construction & Zambia)
2011: Andre Ayew (Marseille & Ghana)
2010: Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland & Ghana)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast)
2008: Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt)
2007: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal & Togo)
2006: Michael Essien (Chelsea & Ghana)
2005: Mohamed Barakat (Al Ahly & Egypt)
2004: Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)
2003: Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)
2002: El Hadji Diouf (Liverpool & Senegal)
2001: Sammy Kuffour (Bayern Munich & Ghana)
2000: Patrick Mboma (Parma & Cameroon)
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