Super Eagles goal keeper, Vincent Enyeama, on Monday, failed to win the 2014BBC African Footballer of the Year award after Yacine Brahimi of Algeria was announced as the winner.
The 24-year-old midfielder becomesthe first Algerian to win the award, which is decidedby football fans around the world.
Speaking afterhe was namedas the winner of the covetedaward, Porto winger Brahimi told BBC Sport: “It’s a big honour for me to receive this wonderful trophy. I owe it to my country, Algeria, and toall thepeople who voted for me.
“It’s also a trophy for the whole of Africa, because it rewards an African player. So I am really very happy.”
Itwas disclosedthat Brahimi came out on top ahead of Nigerian Vincent Enyeama, Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ivorian pair Gervinho and Yaya Toure aftera record number of voteswere submittedfromfans in 207 Fifa-registered countries.
Brahimi played for Spanish club Grenada last season and was named the best African player in that country, before joining Porto of Portugal.
Itwould berecalled that former Eagles’ play-maker, Austin Okocha was the only Nigerian to have won the award afterhe won it consecutivelyin 2003 and 2004.
Meanwhile, Enyeama was also shortlisted for the 2014 Confederation ofAfrican Football (CAF) Player of theYear award.
The 32-year-old Lille stopper, who made thelist togetherwith his Eagles’ teammate Ahmed Musa, was quotedrecently as saying: “I have to thankNigerians for their love and support. I am really grateful to them and I hope a Nigerian wins it this time. I thank them for helping me get this far and I appreciate theirsupport.”
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