Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bono was named the Best Goalkeeper in Africa in the CAF Annual Awards ceremony which took place in Marrakech on Monday evening.
The 32-year-old Morocco international led his country to reaching the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi-final, when the Atlas Lions became the first African nation to achieve that feat. Bono’s biggest contribution came in the round of 16 against Spain, when he saved penalties from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets to help his nation to a 3-0 penalty shootouts victory.
Six months later, he was the star performer in the UEFA Europa League final as his former club Sevilla beat AS Roma. After the 120 minutes ended in a draw, Bono saved Gianluca Mancini’s spot kick to set the foundations for his club to emerge 4-1 winners on penalties.
Since arriving to the Roshn Saudi League, Bono has been in fine form, keeping nine clean sheets in his first 14 leagues matches in Al Hilal colours.
Meanwhile, Al Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Al Nassr forward Sadio Mane have been chosen in the CAF Team of the Year.
Mane has impressed in Al Nassr colours this season, already reaching double-digits for goal contributions, with six goals and four assists in his first 15 appearances, while Koulibaly remains an integral part of the Al Hilal defence that has conceded the least goals in the league, with just nine, and kept the most clean sheets with nine.
Elsewhere, Morocco were named National Team of the Year. The Atlas Lions side that reached the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi-final featured six players that currently ply their trade in the RSL: Yassine Bono (Al Hilal), Munir Mohamedi and Jawad El Yamiq (Al Wehda), Romain Saiss (Al Shabab), Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al Ittihad) and Abdelhamid Sabiri (Al Fayha)
