Samuel Eto'o was named African player of the year for a record fourth time at a ceremony on Monday.
The 29-year-old Cameroon and Inter Milan striker finished ahead of Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan and Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast in votes cast by the national coaches of the 53 African football associations.
Eto'o, who also won the award in 2003, 2004 and 2005, helped Inter Milan win an unprecedented treble of league, cup and Champions League titles last season.
He overtakes Abedi Pele and George Weah, who both won the award three times.
Eto'o scored one goal and created another in Inter's 3-0 Club World Cup final win over TP Mazembe on Saturday. Mazembe was nonetheless chosen as African team of the year.
Gyan lost out to Eto'o despite starring in Ghana's runs to the World Cup quarterfinals and the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, Ghana was team of the year, while Serbian Milovan Rajevac, who stepped down as Ghana coach in September, was named coach of the year.
Ahmed Hassan won the African-based player of the year award after leading Egypt to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations title.
