HURGHADA – Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis clinched another top continental award for South Africa on Tuesday when she was named the Women's African Coach of the Year.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards was held at the Albatros Citadel Hotel Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada, on the shores of Egypt’s Red Sea.
Ellis' nomination was one of three that came South Africa's way with Thembi Kgatlana nominated in the Women’s African Player of the Year category as well as Banyana Banyana in the Women's National Team of the Year category.
In a social media post on Tuesday night, Mandla Gagayi, head of Sport Administration at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) wrote:
"Coach Des did it again, Congratulations!!!!!!!! #ForeverProud #Udubs - 2019 CAF Women’s Coach of the Year"
Diseree Ellis is your Women’s African Coach of the Year 👑👏
Who’ll win the prestigious award next? #CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/IKioeIgCWr
— #CAFAwards2019 (@CAF_Online) January 7, 2020
Another big winner on the night was Sadio Mane, who walked away with the Men's African Footballer of the Year gong for 2019.
Mane stood out head above shoulders after winning the Champions League with Liverpool and leading Senegal to the Africa Cup of Nations final.
Video: Kim Kay/African News Agency
This is Mane's first top continental award after finishing runner-up to fellow 2019 nominee and highly-fancied Mohamed Salah of Egypt in 2017 and 2018 and after coming third in at the CAF Awards in 2016.
— #CAFAwards2019 (@CAF_Online) January 7, 2020
All the Award Winners are
African Player of the Year
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
African Women’s Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)
African Interclubs Player of the Year
Youcef Belaïli (Algeria & Esperance / Ahli Jeddah)
African Youth Player of the Year
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund)
African Men’s Coach of the Year
Djamel Belmadi (Algeria - Algeria)
African Women’s Coach of the Year
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
African Men’s National Team of the Year
Algeria
African Women’s National Team of the Year
Cameroon
Federation of the Year
Egyptian Football Association
Special Award
Kojovi Obilale (former Togolese goalkeeper)
CAF Fifpro Best XI
Goalkeeper:
Andre Onana
Defenders:
Achraf Hakimi, Serge Aurier, Joel Matip, Kalidou Koulibaly
Midfielders:
Idrissa Gueye, Riyad Mahrez, Hakim Ziyech
Forwards:
Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang