Liverpool forward beats Victor Moses to win BBC African Footballer of the Year

In the poll for the award, Salah got more votes more than Moses and other nominees including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Naby Keita and Sadio Mane.

ALSO READ: Moses really wanted the award

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Salah's 2017

The Egypt internationals wins the prestigious award following a brilliant 2017. He scored two goals as Egypt got the final of the 2017 AFCON. He scored 15 goals and made 11 others, helping Roma to a second-place Serie A finish with 87 points, their highest so far in history even more than 75 they got when they last won the Serie A title in 2001.

His impressive display earned him a move to Liverpool where he has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water.

He leads the Premier League goalscorers’ chart with 13 goals and has 18 in all competitions for Liverpool this season.

"I am very happy to win this award," the 25-year-old told .

"It's always a special feeling when you win something. I feel like I had a great year, so I'm very happy."

The 25-year-old was hugely influential in Egypt qualification for the , their first since 1990. He contributed to all seven of the goals that secured the World Cup qualification including the stoppage-time penalty against Congo that sealed it.

The forward who is the third Egyptian- after Mohamed Barakat (2005) and Mohamed Aboutreika (2008)- to win the award revealed that he wants to be known as the best ever player to come from the North African country.

"I always follow my own way and I want everyone in Egypt to follow my way,” he added.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp who signed the forward last summer is excited with the opportunity of working with Salah on a daily basis.

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“I am a really lucky person. I had the opportunity to work with a few outstanding players and I am happy that it is now with Mo,” Klopp told BBC Sport.

"The good thing is that he is still young, there is a lot of space for improvement, a lot of potentials still that we can work on, but that's how it should be. It's a big pleasure, to be honest, to work with him."

Past Nigerian Winners

Salah stops Moses from becoming the fourth Nigerian to win the award after Emmanuel Amuneke (1996), Kanu Nwankwo (1997 and 1999) Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha who won it consecutively in 2003 and 2004.

Riyad Mahrez of Algeria and Leicester City won the 2016 edition of the award.