Gyan, Okocha believe Vincent Aboubakar deserved AFCON best player award

Senegal win 2021 AFCON after beating Egypt

Vincent Aboubakar scores eight goals in 2021 AFCON

Senegal hero Mane named Player of the Tournament as Mendy named the best goalkeeper

African football legends, Asamoah Gyan and Jay Jay Okocha have said that Senegalese star Sadio Mane was not a worthy winner of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations best player award.

Sadio Mane was adjudged as the best player of the 2021 AFCON after guiding the Teranga Lions of Senegal to their first-ever trophy by the technical committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

However, the two legends who were pundits during the AFCON on South African TV station Super Sports, have stated the prestigious award should have been given to Cameroon Captain Vincent Aboubakar for his exceptional performance in the tournament.

“For me, Aboubakar is the best player in the tournament. He deserves to be named the best player of the tournament. After all, he did, I think he earned it. But he was deservingly rewarded for the goals that he scored. But of course, it’s always good to have teammates that provide you with the services.

“You don’t have to take away the contributions of the other players as well. But it’s great to have a good finisher that will crown the whole hard work of the team,” Okocha said on Super Sports as quoted by Footballghana.

Black Stars legend and Africa’s top scorer at the FIFA World Cup, Asamoah Gyan also stated that Vincent Aboubakar was his best player in the tournament.

“I think I agree with Jay Jay [Okocha]. For me, he is the player of the tournament.

“We’re talking about consistency from the beginning of the tournament…he earned my respect in the game against Ethiopia. He lost the ball in his eighteen and had to sprint 75 metres to recover the ball. You could see he is playing with his heart.

“Not only about the goal. He was playing with his heart. In the third-place game, they were three goals down and he had to come in to inspire the team to win third place. For me, he had done everything to be the best player of the tournament, but I don’t know how they rate the best player of the tournament though.”

Meanwhile, Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar claimed the Golden Boot for the competition with his eight goals for the Indomitable Lions, who made it all the way to the semi-finals before being knocked out on penalties by the Pharaohs.