Ivorian national team captain Didier Drogba has been named 2006 African Footballer of the Year award.
The award which pulled votes from a poll of Africa's 53 national team coaches saw the Ivorian striker deny the Barcelona marksman, Samuel Eto Fils a record fourth successive award and beat Chelsea teammate, Michael Essien.
The coaches gave three points to their first choice, two to their second pick and one point to their third.
Drogba, 28, who came second in last year’s event becomes the first Ivorian player in the history of the awards event to be crowned African Footballer of the Year after polling 79 votes, five ahead of Samuel Eto while Essien had 36 votes.
The striker captained his country to the 2006 African Nations Cup final and also played at the World Cup finals as well as helping Chelsea win the Premiership.
Drogba dressed in traditional African wear expressed his delight for having picked the continent’s highest individual award.
There were six other African awards up for grabs - Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year, Club Footballer of the Year, Club of the Year, Young Footballer of the Year and Female Footballer of the Year.
Ghana had two other players and one of the national sides for the various awards categories for Thursday’s event.
The senior national team, the Black Stars after an impressive run at the World Cup where they became the continent’s only country to make into the round of 16 picked the National Team of the Year award category.
Ghana came tops ahead of reigning African champions Egypt and Ivory Coast.
For the individual awards, Black Stars striker, Asamoah Gyan missed out of the African Young Player of the Year award which was won by Nigeria’s Taye Taiwo.
Sheila Okine, a member of Ghana’s senior women’s team, the Black Queens also lost out to Nigeria’s Cynthia Nwak for the Women’s Footballer of the Year award.
Aside the individual and team awards there was another honour for Ghana.
Ghana President, J.A. Kufour was presented with the Glo-CAF Platinum Award specially created for government officials who have used their office to promote the development of football and foster peace in Africa.
The Ghana President, who is the second recipient of the award.
Egyptian side Al Ahli were Club of the Year and their coach Manue Jose won the Coach of the Year category.
African club competition Player of the Year was Mohamed Aboutrika, also of Al Ahli.
NB: (Photo credit should read KAMBOU SIA/AFP/Getty Images)