Eto’o named African player of the year

BARCELONA striker Samuel Eto’o was crowned the African Player of the Year for the third year in succession yesterday.

The 24-year-old Cameroon international beat off competition from Chelsea duo Didier Drogba and Michael Essien to claim the accolade at an awards ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria.

Eto’o, the leading scorer in Spain’s Primera Liga this season, surpasses the achievements of Thomas Nkono, Roger Milla, George Weah, Abedi Pele, Nwanko Kanu and El-Hadji Diouf, who have all won the award twice.

The title will go some way to making up for the disappointment of missing the decisive spot-kick in Cameroon’s penalty shoot-out defeat by the Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals of the recent African Nations Cup.

Eto’o had a superb year for Barcelona in 2005, finishing last season as the second highest scorer in the top flight behind Villarreal striker Diego Forlan.