Kanoute is Africa's No 1

Malian striker Frederic Kanoute has been named the 2007 African Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Kanoute whose team Mali was recently eliminated from the African's Nations Cup this week is the first European-born player to win the award after beating off competition from Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba and Michael Essien of Ghana.

The Sevilla striker was nominated for his role in helping Mali qualify for this year's African Nations Cup finals and triumphs last season with his Spanish club in the UEFA and King's Cups.

The lanky Kanoute is the first Malian to win the coveted award after fellow country man Salif Keita got the award in 1970; its inaugural year. Kanoute played for his native France as a junior international before switching allegiance in 2004 to Mali, his father's country. A decision he was praised for.

The other nominees for the Award Ivorian Didier Drogba and Ghanaian Micheal Essien were seen as favorites for the award. The Chelsea duo were nominated mainly on the strength of their form in the English league and European competition. Drogba's goals kept Chelsea in the Premier League title race last season and also helped them lift the FA Cup, with the Ivorian scoring the only goal of the final against Manchester United at Wembley, while Essien's antic in the Chelsea midfield have not gone unnoticed.

The award ceremony was however undermined when Essien was refused permission by his federation to travel the short distance to neighboring Togo for the ceremony; Ghana plays Nigeria in a quarter-final in Accra on Sunday. Drogba on his part will lead the Ivorians against Guinea in Sekondi in their quest to reach back to back finals.

Ivory Coast were named as the African team of the year and Champions League winners Etoile Sahel of Tunisia announced as the club of the year. Etoile Sahel striker Armine Chermiti was named the best African club competition player and Zambian Clifford Mulenga Young African Player of the Year.

Past winners of the Award include legendary players like George Weah, Abedi Pele, El Hadji Diouf, 3-time winner Samuel Eto'o, Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu and Didier Drogba.

The African Footballer of the Year award is voted for by the national coaches of the 53 CAF associations.