SA’s Tau, Ellis scoop Caf Awards

Percy Tau became the first South African to win the Caf Interclub Player of the Year Award on Monday, at the Confederation of African Football Awards ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco.

🦁 @AlAhly's Lion of Judah claims the title!

🇿🇦 Percy Tau is the 2023 Men's Interclub Player of the Year after a brilliant season!#CAFAwards2023 | @percymuzitau22 pic.twitter.com/kcTsQYg97B

— CAF (@CAF_Online) December 11, 2023

The Bafana Bafana attacker’s brilliance inspired Cairo giants Al Ahly to last season’s Caf Champions League title. ‘The Lion of Judah’ roared proudly in the competition with five goals and five assists, including a brace in the semifinal, first leg against Esperance of Tunisia, and a strike in the final, first leg against Wydad Casablanca.

There was more joy for South Africa as Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis won Women’s Coach of the Year, after South Africa reached the last 16 at the Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The African Mastermind. 🧠#CAFAwards2023 | @descaptain pic.twitter.com/oPV6rR7Q8t

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— CAF (@CAF_Online) December 11, 2023

The reigning African champions stunned Italy in the group stages to become the first South African side, male or female, to reach the knockout round at a Fifa World Cup.

This is the second year in a row and the fourth time overall that Banyana head coach Ellis has won the Caf Women’s Coach of the Year Award, having also won it in 2018 and 2019.

Sundowns win, Banyana don’t

Banyana Banyana, however, failed to retain their Women’s National Team of the Year Award, losing out to to the Super Falcons of Nigeria. Nigeria also reached the last 16 of the Fifa Women’s World Cup, where they were edged out on penalties by eventual runners-up England.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ ladies team, that contains many Banyana stars, did win the Caf Interclub Women’s Team of the Year, after they won this season’s Caf Women’s Champions League.