Hero�s welcome for African player of year Aubameyang
AFP
AFP, LIBREVILLE: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the newly-crowned African Player of the Year, received a heros homecoming on Friday where he was hailed by thousands of fans as the pride of Gabon.
The 26-year-old Borussia Dortmund star pipped four-time winner Yaya Toure of Manchester City and Ivory Coast to win the prestigious award, an achievement which had fans dreaming of Africa Cup of Nations success on home soil in 2017.
He has risen through the ranks and this is a just reward, said Brice Ignegue, the president of the Panthers (the national teams nickname) fan club.
Sabrina, a young fan who came out to greet Aubameyang, said the player was a national hero.
Aubameyang represents Gabon, he is the national panther. He is the pride of Gabon and Africa, she said.
Gabon president Ali Bongo Ondimba posted photos of the players arrival on his Twitter account as he welcomed his compatriot to the presidential palace.
The president immediately conferred upon Aubameyang one of the countrys leading civil honours, Commander of the National Order of Merit.
I am happy and proud with this honour that I dedicate to the people of Gabon, my family and you, Mr President, said the Dortmund star.
Aubameyang then was feted by thousands of fans who packed the Nzeng Ayong stadium where he showed off the player of the year trophy.
Long live Aubameyang, long live Gabon!, they shouted.
Now we expect him to win the Africa Cup of Nations for us in 2017 just like Yaya Toure did with Ivory Coast, said Achilles, a local student.
Another report adds from Paris, Manchester City star Yaya Toure on Friday blasted the awarding of the African Player of the Year to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as indecent and claimed it brought shame on the continent.
Toure had been favourite to win the prize for a record fifth successive time having skippered the Ivory Coast to the Africa Cup of Nations title but he lost out to Gabon and Borussia Dortmund hotshot Aubameyang.
Its sad to see Africa react in this way, it does not give importance to African things, 32-year-old Toure told Radio France International (RFI).
This is what makes the shame of Africa. To behave in this way is indecent, but what can we do? We dont show that Africa is important in our eyes.
We give more priority to what is happening elsewhere than to our own continent. This is what is pathetic.
Aubameyang, 26, has scored 18 goals in 17 Bundesliga games this season.
He earned 143 points in a poll of African coaches, seven more than Toure. Ghana and Swansea City striker Andre Ayew was third on 112 points.
Ayew told lequipe.fr that he too was stunned by the award, believing Toure would win and he himself would be second having been top scorer at the Africa Cup of Nations where Ghana were runners-up.
Attention, Aubameyang is a friend and he has had a great year, said Ayew.
We must respect the competitions. If we Africans do not, who will? Frankly, it was Yaya or me this year ... At the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea last year, Gabon, skippered by Aubameyang, were eliminated in the first round.
Toure even hinted at skullduggery in the voting process.
Even FIFA with all of its history of corruption would not do this, he said.
Toure added that there would be similar incredulity if the Ballon dOr, to be awarded on Monday, came up with such a result.
I will give you an example Lionel Messi wins all the trophies but its Cristiano Ronaldo who gets the Ballon dOr. What would you say? It would be unfair.
