Tau honoured as SA wins big at CAF awards

Ellis, Downs’ women team get gongs too

Nkareng Matshe Sports editor
Percy Tau of Al Ahly was named CAF Interclub Player of the Year at the awards held in Morocco
Percy Tau of Al Ahly was named CAF Interclub Player of the Year at the awards held in Morocco
Image: Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix

South Africa won big at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awards last night, with Percy Tau, Desiree Ellis and Mamelodi Sundowns all getting honoured at the dinner held in Marrakech, Morocco.

Bafana Bafana vice-captain Tau, who plays for Egyptian giants Al Ahly, was named CAF Interclub Player of the Year after helping his club annex the Champions League last season.

It was the first time a South African won that award. In 2016 following Sundowns’ Champions League triumph, Ugandan Denis Onyango bagged that award, although at the time he was named the best African player based on the continent.

Banyana Banyana coach Ellis was named Woman Coach of The year, having guided SA to an historic round of 16 place at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in midyear.

Sundowns’ women team, meanwhile, were named the Club of the Year. They recently defended the Champions League.

Elsewhere, Nigerian Victor Osihmhen was Overall Player of the Year after helping Napoli clinch the Italian Serie A last season. Osihmhen is the first Nigerian since Nwankwo Kanu (1999) to win this award.

His compatriot Asisat Oshoala bagged the Women Player of the Year for a record sixth time. The Barcelona superstar won this award in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 and now.

The Coach of the Year award went to Walid Regragui on Morocco. He led the Atlas Lions to the World Cup semifinals in Qatar last year.

Award winners

Player of the Year (Men): Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Napoli) 

Player of the Year (Women): Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria, Barcelona) 

Interclub Player of the Year (Men): Percy Tau (SA Al Ahly) 

Interclub Player of the Year (Women): Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco, AS FAR) 

Coach of the Year (Men): Walid Regragui (Morocco) 

Coach of the Year (Women): Desiree Ellis (SA) 

Goalkeeper of the Year (Men): Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal) 

Goalkeeper of the Year (Women): Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC) 

Young Player of the Year (Men): Lamine Camara (Senegal, Metz) 

Young Player of the Year (Women): Nesryne El Chad (Morocco, Lille) 

National Team of the Year (Men): Morocco 

National Team of the Year (Women): Nigeria 

Club of the Year (Men): Al Ahly (Egypt) 

Club of the Year (Women): Mamelodi Sundowns (SA)


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