African accolade for Leicester lynchpin Mahrez

Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez was on Thursday voted African Player of the Year after he inspired Leicester City to the English Premier League title last season.

Mahrez, 25, beat Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, of Borussia Dortmund, who scooped the accolade last year, into second place, with Liverpool's Senegal star Sadio Mane taking third.

France-born forward Mahrez said it was a "huge honor" to receive the award.

"I am happy and pleased. I thank all my teammates at Leicester and Algeria," Mahrez said.

"I dedicate this to my family and all those who support me every day."

Claudio Ranieri's Leicester caused a major shock when, as 5,000-1 outsider, it went on to lift the Premier League trophy last season.

Mahrez, a slightly built winger who started out with hometown club AAS Sarcelles in 2004, played a key role in the Foxes' stunning run with 17 goals and 10 assists in 37 appearances.

The former Le Havre man played in all but two of Leicester's league matches.

Mahrez was the first Algerian to win a Premier League winner's medal and sparked a massive following back home in Algeria for Leicester, a club he had first thought was a rugby team when he was initially contacted to join them.

Mahrez's win ended a 19-year absence on the podium for a player from north Africa since Morocco's Mustapha Hadji in 1998.

Other Algerians to have won the award are Rabah Madjer in 1987 and Lakhdar Belloumi in 1981.

All three players who made the shortlist for the African award were also picked in a Confederation of African Football (CAF) XI that also featured Manchester United's Cote d'Ivoire defender Eric Bailly.

Goalkeeper Denis Onyango was picked for the African Player of the Year Based in Africa award ahead of his Mamelodi Sundowns teammate Khama Billiat and Zambia's Rainford Kalaba.

Onyango was outstanding when seven-time South African champions Sundowns won an historic CAF Champions League and also when Uganda qualified for this year's Africa Cup of Nations after a long absence.

Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala grabbed her second African Women's Player of the Year award on the back of her goals as Nigeria retained its continental crown.

The Arsenal Ladies star won her first after helping her country become African champion in 2014.

Nigeria youngsters Kelechi Iheanacho, of Manchester City, and Alex Iwobi, who has been impressing for Arsenal, won the Most Promising Talent and Youth Player of the Year awards, respectively.

Gambian referee Bakary Papa Gassama won the Best Referee Award for the third straight year.