Egyptian Barakat wins BBC award

Egypt and Ahly's Mohamed Barakat has won the 2005 BBC African Footballer of the Year award.

Barakat, a key member of Ahly's African Champions League-winning team, won the award ahead of Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Obafemi Martins of Nigeria, who finished third.

The 29-year-old goalscoring midfielder was part of the Ahly team that went a world record 55 games unbeaten in all competitions last year.

More than 15,000 listeners of the BBC World Service's African sports show Fast Track as well as visitors to the BBC's African football website voted for the Egypt international before the deadline of 31 December.

"Barakat is one of the pillars of the Ahly team. He's a great asset and a very professional player"
Ahly board member Khaled Mortagey

Barakat will be able to fully display his skills when he represents the Pharaohs at the Nations Cup, which kicks off in his homeland on 20 January.

A total of five players made the shortlist for the award but neither Ghana's Michael Essien nor the 2004 winner, Jay-Jay Okocha of Nigeria, made the top three.

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