The national men’s football team, Uganda Cranes have the prestigious Caf team of the Year Award following their exploits in 2016 ahead of African powerhouse Senegal and DR Congo.
No Ugandan team had ever won the awards since their inception in 2001.
The Cranes qualified for Afcon 2017 ending a 39-year old jinx and have established a spirited campaign in the Fifa 2018 World Cup qualifiers where Uganda sits second in Group E with four points behind table leaders Egypt who have six. They also made it to the Chan 2016 in Rwanda albeit not winning a single game.
The Cranes are currently preparing for the top African football showpiece, where they are drawn alongside Ghana, Mali and Egypt in group D. Uganda face the Black Stars in their opener on 17 January at Stade de Port Gentil.
Other winners
At the awards night in Abuja, South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns were named best club while Pitso Mosimane who inspired PSL side Mamelodi Sundowns to their first Caf Champions League title after seeing off Egyptian side Zamalek was named Coach of the year. This was the same category Cranes head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic had been nominated in.
Nigeria’s Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho is the Most Promising Player of the Year 2016 while his countryman and Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi was named the Youth Player.
Nigeria Super Falcons are the Women’s National Team of the Year after their coach Florence Omagbemi led them to an unprecedented win of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, the country’s record eighth crown.
Nigeria and Arsenal Ladies striker Asisat Oshoala won the Women’s Player of the Year while Gambian Bakary Papa Gassama is the Referee of the Year ahead of Ghead Zaglol GRISHA and Malang DIEDHIOU.
Emilienne Mbango (former Cameroon player) and Laurent Pokou (former player of Côte d’Ivoire) won the Legend Award.
