Sadio Mane claimed a slice of history in his native Senegal this week as he was named as the 2017 African Player of the Year.
Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane has been voted the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) Player of the Year for 2017.
Mane's performance helped guide Senegal to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Russia and ultimately earned him a place in the team of the tournament. He was also a contender for the prize at the previous edition of the CAF Awards.
Mo Salah of Liverpool and Gabon was a contender for the prestigious award in 2017 as well, but the Egyptian, who now plays for Liverpool, won the individual accolade in 2015.
The Liverpool winger had the chance to become the first African player to win the individual award since its inception in 2006.
And he did it by beating out last year's winner Mohamed Salah and his former teammate, Mo Salah.
Jurgen Klopp's star man picked up a host of individual plaudits in the past 12 months.
He said: 'I need to say thanks to my family. They have always been with me.'
Salah, on the other hand, has been flying out the blocks since arriving at Liverpool last summer.
The 25-year-old helped lead Egypt to a first ever place at the World Cup and netted a brilliant 32 goals in 41 appearances.
Salah left for Liverpool in the summer after helping Egypt reach the World Cup.
Senegal's Mane picked up the prize ahead of Mohamed Salah and his former teammate, Mo Salah.
His excellent form in front of goal earned him an incredible award, as he scored the most goals in the year for the continent.
His tally of 13 goals was just four shorts of Egypt's El-Shenawy, who finished with 12, but the former was pipped to the prize by a young Dortmund star.
Salah's first season in England has also been superb, scoring 31 goals in 36 appearances for Liverpool and nine goals in the Champions League.
Ultimately though, the 28-year-old was unable to keep Liverpool in the Champions League as they crashed out to Roma in the semi-finals.
Salah will be hoping his incredible form continues as Liverpool face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Mo Salah's incredible Liverpool form earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
Salah may have struggled to turn Anfield into home turf for his team-mates this season, but he was able to claim an individual honour.
The Egyptian forward picked up the Premier League Player of the Year award last week.
And now he has been handed the prestigious CAF African Footballer of the Year prize, which was previously known as the Black Player of the Year.
One of the most iconic African players to have graced the game of football is South African Kevin Prince Boateng.
He came into the game when the standards were not as high as they are now, but is now one of the stars of Europe, having impressed at German side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Ahead of his final game for the club on Saturday, Boateng was handed a strong ovation by his team-mates.
Kevin Prince Boateng's impressive displays for Eintracht Frankfurt have helped earn him the accolade.
The former Portsmouth and Las Palmas forward is closing in on a move to Italian side Sassuolo.
Fellow African stars, Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba have also previously won the award.
And it is testament to the lack of superstars in the world of football that Salah has missed out on the accolade.
Liverpool, meanwhile, now face Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The two sides will go head-to-head in the first leg at Anfield on Tuesday, with the return fixture taking place at the Allianz Arena on April 19.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp won't be looking too far ahead, though, despite his team being odds on to win the trophy.
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