Samuel Eto’o has been voted African player of the year for a record fourth time.
Eto’o finished ahead of Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba in votes cast by the coaches of African’s 53 national teams. Eto’o, who also won the award in 2003, 2004 and 2005, helped Inter Milan win an unprecedented treble of Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League titles last season.
With the award, Eto’o passed Abedi Pele and George Weah, who took the title three times each in the past.
“To win footballer of the year four times is to create a new record but I don’t think it gives me the right to say I am the best, There were greats in previous generations who had different challenges and situations to me. You can’t really compare.”
“It is a pleasure to be a winner again, to take it for the fourth time against such top opposition,” Eto’o continued on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) website. “Africa now has so many good players and there is lots of talent coming up, so this might be a last chance for me.”