stars in Europe - Uche not angry at Nigeria World Cup snub

The Villarreal striker was not picked by Keshi, despite scoring 12 goals in the Spanish top flight this season. Uche has not played for his country since they won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year. The 30-year-old insists, however, that he holds no grudges against Keshi. "Of course as a professional footballer you'd love to represent your country, but I have never had bad words towards the national coach," Uche is widely regarded as one of Nigeria's most reliable strikers at international level and is one of his nation's all-time top scorers, with 18 goals in 45 appearances, behind Rashidi Yekini, Segun Odegbami and Yakubu Aiyegbeni. 

10 May 2014
2014 World Cup - squad - Shola Ameobi in provisional Nigeria squad

Stoke striker Peter Odemwingie and Newcastle forward Shola Ameobi are in Nigeria's provisional 30-man World Cup squad for Brazil 2014.

7 May 2014
stars in Europe - Wilfried Bony - Ivory Coast striker happy at Swansea City

The Ivorian has scored 24 goals in all competitions since joining the Swans from Vitesse Arnhem for a club-record fee of £12m last summer. Bony, 25, has been the bright spot in a disappointing Premier League season. 

4 May 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - MOROCCO - COACH - former player Badou Zaki confirmed as new coach

Zaki takes charge of the Atlas Lions for the second time in his career.

3 May 2014
club - coaches - Youssef resigns as Al Ahly coach

Al Ahly has accepted the resignation of coach Mohamed Youssef on Thursday. Youssef had been in charge of Al Ahly since May last year following the resignation Hossam El Badry.

2 May 2014
African Champions League 2014 - DR Congo rivals drawn together

TP Mazemebe, runners-up in last year's Confederation Cup, and AS Vita Club are fierce rivals

30 Apr 2014
African Confederation Cup 2014: play offs - 2nd leg - fixtures & results

Fixtures and results for the 2014 Confed Cup.
2013 champions: CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)

Winners advance to group stage

29 Apr 2014

PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2016 - Riyad Mahrez is named Africa's best player

Riyad Mahrez

 

Leicester forward Riyad Mahrez has won the Confederation of African Football's player of the year award.

The 25-year-old Algerian, who helped Leicester to the Premier League title, is also the PFA Player of the Year and BBC African Footballer of the Year.

Borussia Dortmund's Gabonese forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was second and Senegal and Liverpool striker Sadio Mane came third.

"It's never easy to win a big award like that," Mahrez said.

"I'm very happy to win because obviously it was against two big players.

"What happened last season was amazing, we knew it wasn't going to happen again - and it won't happen again I think, for a small team like Leicester," added the first Algerian and North African to win the prestigious individual honour since its inception by Caf in 1992.

Arsenal and Nigeria forward Alex Iwobi, 20, won the young player award.

Countryman and Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, 20, won the most promising talent award.

South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango, 31, was named Africa-based player of the year.

Nigeria forward Asisat Oshoala, 22, was named female player of the year.

It was Oshoala's second title after winning in 2014 in Lagos. 

And it was double delight for her as the Super Falcons were adjudged Women's National Team of the Year following their record-extending eighth title at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in December 2016.

Two more awards came the way of Sundowns, who were named club of the year with Pitso Mosimane winning coach of the year.

Uganda's qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations after a 39-year wait was recognised with the national Team of the year award.

Gambian official Bakary Papa Gassama was named referee of the year for the third time in a row.

Manuel Lopes Nascimento, president of Guinea Bissau Football Federation was named football leader of the year - his country qualified for their first major continental championship by reaching the Nations Cup in Gabon.

Ivorian striker Laurent Pokou, who died in November, was post-humously recognised with the African Legend award, together with Cameroonian Emilienne Mbango, one of the pioneers of women's football on the continent.

The Platinium Award went to President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari.

 

 

9 Jan 2017
(BBC Sport UK)

Related countries

Related articles