Senegal star Ismaila Sarr has been awarded by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) for his outstanding performances in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Sarr was part of the Teranga Lions squad that lifted their maiden title in Cameroon early this year, and his efforts have been recognized.
PFA chief executive officer Maheta Molango visited Watford’s London Colney training ground and presented Sarr with the award.
Having returned from injury for the knockout stages of the tournament in Cameroon, the 24-year-old was a crucial figure in Senegal’s campaign as he scored a goal and provided an assist over the quarter-final and semi-final rounds.
The 24-year-old played for 70 minutes from the right-flank as Senegal won the Afcon final against Egypt on penalties, then the clash had finished 0-0 after extra-time.
"We wish Ismaila our sincere congratulations on his title as African champion. We are very proud to have you as a PFA member," said Molango.
"On behalf of the PFA, we would like to acknowledge your outstanding contribution to football, and in this case, to your country, Senegal.
"As the Premier League and EFL are very diverse and international competitions, we felt as the PFA that it was very important to acknowledge the importance of the Africa Cup of Nations for a lot of our members."
Sarr lauded the association’s move to recognize his success at international level.
"Thank you to the PFA for this award. Winning the Afcon was a very special moment for me and my family, and I am very grateful to the PFA for recognising this," the Senegalese said.
Apart from the ongoing club duties for Sarr, his focus is on the upcoming Fifa World Cup where he will participate in Qatar.
