Mahrez Named BBC African Footballer of the Year

- The Leicester City winger was crucial to his side’s Premier League triumph last term 

- Mahrez ended the 2015/16 campaign with 17 goals and 11 assists in the league 

- He beat Sadio Mane, Andre Ayew, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Yaya Toure to the award 

Riyad Mahrez picked up more silverware on Monday evening after the Leicester City winger was named BBC African Footballer of the Year. 

In April, the Foxes ace became the first-ever African footballer to win PFA Player of the Year for his exploits during the 2015/16 campaign, after scoring 17 goals and registering 11 assists to help his side win the Premier League title. 

Now, he is City’s maiden winner of the prestigious BBC African Footballer of the Year prize, pipping Sadio Mane, Andre Ayew, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Yaya Toure to the award after voting started in November. 

The Algeria international winger received overwhelming support from the footballing world, as he earned recognition for what proved to be a sensational year for the 25-year-old. 

Under Claudio Ranieri, Mahrez started 2015/16 with a brace against Sunderland, while crucial strikes against West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City all followed over August and September. 

A hat-trick against Swansea City – the first in his professional career – came in December, before he went on to score a stunning solo goal against Chelsea and a brace of penalties at Everton to ensure the Foxes would sit top of the Premier League table on Christmas Day. 

That haul in front of goal saw him nominated for December’s Premier League Player of the Month award, beaten only by Watford’s Odion Ighalo. 

While Mahrez didn’t strike again until early February, it was a goal worth waiting for. In possession in the Manchester City half, he lifted the ball over Nicolas Otamendi and pulled off a step over to slip past Martin Demichelis before hammering in in front of the ecstatic Blue Army. 

The goal emphasised the brilliance of the Algerian and was a huge win in City’s eventual title triumph. 

Crucial strikes in the 1-0 victories at Watford and Crystal Palace over March followed, while his opening goal against Swansea City sent Leicester on the way to their biggest win of the season – a 4-0 thrashing of the Swans in late April at King Power Stadium. 

Mahrez has transformed his goalscoring form onto the UEFA Champions League stage this term, scoring four times in five appearances, while a brilliant performance in the 4-2 triumph over Manchester City last time out saw him set up Jamie Vardy’s second with a perfectly-weighted first-time pass. 

City’s No.26 joins a list of high-profile African footballers to win the award including Abedi Pele, George Weah, Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure.