Drogba Beaten In Award Ceremony

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Emmanuel Adebayor has won the 2007 BBC African Footballer of the Year award after a public vote.

The Togo striker garnered almost 42% of the vote, beating Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast into second place.

An inspirational figure, Adebayor has been the sharpest of strikers for English Premier League title-chasers Arsenal, scoring 13 goals this term.

Ghana's Michael Essien, last year's winner, finished third ahead of Mali's Freddie Kanoute.

Cameroon and Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o finished fifth.

The 2007 shortlist of five players was drawn up by football experts from every country in Africa, based on players' individuality, skill, technical ability, teamwork, consistency and fair play.

After the bitterness he felt at failing to lead Togo to the Africa Cup of Nations finals, Adebayor can at least take some consolation at winning one of the most prestigious prizes in African sport.

Previous winners include Ghana's Michael Essien and Sammy Kufuor, Mohamed Barakat of Egypt, Senegal's El Hadji Diouf, and Nigeria's Jay-Jay Okocha.

The lanky goal-getter from Lome made his debut for French league side Metz at just 17 and scooped a (European) Champions League runners-up medal in 2004 after moving to Monaco.

He has twice been nominated as the Confederation of African Football's Player of the Year and his 11 goals for Togo in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup was the best on the continent.

From the BBC

[Blue_Swede 4]

Fair enough. Drogba's 2007 wasn't that fantastic. Apart from the cup final goals he didn't score that many goals. On the other hand Adebayor has only become good during the latter part of 2007, but I guess that is what people remember.

[True_Blue 469]

Well he was the better player this year that is without a doubt.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

He [Drogba] still scored twenty-odd goals, Adebayor scored a similar number I believe. Essien should have won

[Elliott 7]

Adebayor has been quality recently, if Drogba decides he wants to go off, then Adebayor would be his perfect replacement, not that we'd get him.

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

Adebayor has been quality recently, if Drogba decides he wants to go off, then Adebayor would be his perfect replacement, not that we'd get him.

I wouldnt want that lanky streak of piss anywhere near Chelsea.

[Badboy 1,526]

If drogba leaves i want adebayorwe should put a hefty bid in for him.

Edited January 20, 2008 by Badboy

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

If drogba leaves i want adebayorwe

Thats easy for you to say

[Badboy 1,526]

Laugh out loud !

Edited January 20, 2008 by Badboy

[Steve 10,227]

essien was the man for this award

[EskWeston 696]

What a load of crap. Drogba was awesome in 2007 and Adebayor was no-way near as good, not even close. Even the Arsenal fans call him a f**king Donkey for gods sake......

[kbchel 2]

agree abedayor sucks

[warnie_666 1,081]

Reading the topic name, I was worried why Drogba was Beaten "up" at an award ceremony