Mali striker Frederic Kanoute beat Ghana's Michael Essien and Didier Drogba of Cote d'Ivoire to win the African Player of the Year for 2007 award at Lome, Togo late Friday.

The Sevilla player, 30, came out the first European-born player to receive the honor backed by the Confederation of African Football.

Kanoute's Mali team was knocked out of the African Nations Cup with last Tuesday's first round defeat of 3-0 to Drogba's Cote d'Ivoire.

Chelsea's Essien was finally permitted to attend the dinner before Sunday's African Cup quarterfinal against Nigeria as his coach Claude Le Roy relented after pressure from his teammates.

CAF nominated Nations Cup quarterfinalists Cote d'Ivoire as the best team on the continent last year, Tunisian first division side Etoile the best African club, and Zambia's Mulenga Clifford the best younger player.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2008)