Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has become the fourth player to be named the BBC African Footballer of the Year a second time, making history for club and country in doing so.

The 26-year-old defended his title from 2017, as announced by the BBC on Friday. Salah beat club teammate Sadio Mane, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Juventus’ Medhi Benatia, and Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey to the prestigious award.

He is the third Egyptian to be named the BBC African Footballer of the Year, but unlike his predecessors Mohamed Barakat, who won it in 2005, and Mohamed Aboutrika, who was crowned in 2008, Salah managed to defend his title.

As a consequence, the Reds attacker has joined Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha and Yaya Toure in being players who managed to win the prize twice.

Salah is also the first Liverpool player to win the award a second time, with former Reds striker El Hadji Diouf winning it once in 2002.