Glo CAF Awards 2016: Aubameyang congratulates Mahrez, twitter reacts to outcome

Algerian international and Leicester City midfielder, Riyad Mahrez, was on Thursday night crowned 2016 African Player of the Year in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

He beat the Gabonese skipper and last year’s winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Senegalese winger Sadio Mane to the continent’s top football award.

“It’s a huge honour to receive this award, I want to thank all my teammates, my family, Africa, and Nigeria as well,” Mahrez said.

Aubameyang sent a congratulatory tweet to Mahrez for winning the award. Many people reacted to the outcome of the awards on social media platform twitter.

Congrats to you riyadmahrez26.7 🙌🏽See you for this africa Cup 😜 https://t.co/vPmRA52rYv
— AUBA⚡️ (@Auba) January 5, 2017

African ballon d'or … I thank everyone who supporte me around Africa and around the world . pic.twitter.com/iaTrvED7TW
— Riyad Mahrez (@Mahrez22) January 6, 2017

African Player of the Year
1. Riyad MAHREZ (361 votes)
2. Pierre-E. AUBAMEYANG (313 votes)
3. Sadio MANE (186 votes) #GloCAFAwards2016
— Juliet Bawuah (@julietbawuah) January 5, 2017

As usual, there were mixed reactions, some funny, some analytical and others downcast by the turn out. Below are a few of the reactions:

PE Aubameyang's luggage is lost so compared to Mahrez, he's had to take a "dress down" approach to tonight's African player of year awards. pic.twitter.com/eelbAFxpUs
— John Bennett (@JohnBennettBBC) January 5, 2017

Aubameyang lost his clothes before losing out on the African Player of the Year to Mahrez! pic.twitter.com/ipbLbBr10E
— Omar Momani (@omomani) January 6, 2017

Aubameyang was classy in defeat&congratulated Mahrez.Different from a certain Ivorian player playing in Man City last year#GloCAFAwards2016
— Lütfi Ibragimowiç Berdiwadabekow (@LotfiWada) January 5, 2017

https://twitter.com/1909Miami/status/817133388754747393

Aubameyang was consistent. Mane showed he could excel in a top club but what a season it was for Mahrez! #GloCAFAwards2016
— Samuel Bartels (@sammybartels) January 5, 2017

During the course of this year, Aubameyang for me has been the better player. Deserved it. But Mahrez title may have shaved it #KweseSports
— Colin NOT Collins 🇳🇬🇺🇸 (@ColinUdoh) January 5, 2017