Aubameyang beats Toure to win African player of the year

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure missed out on a fifth successive African player of the year award as his reign was ended by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Confederation of African Football announced Ivory Coast international Toure was edged out by Gabon and Borussia Dortmund striker Aubameyang, who polled 143 voting points to Toure's 136 among national coaches.

Aubameyang scored 41 goals and claimed 11 assists for his club and country during 2015, including a haul of 18 strikes in 17 Bundesliga games so far this season.

The 26-year-old winner wrote on Instagram: "Thanks to my Father and Mother thanks to my son and his Mom thanks to my family to my friends to my teammates @bvb09 and from Gabon national team thanks to my fans and thanks God and everybody."

Toure, who won the African Nations Cup with his country last February, was sorry to miss out on extending his streak of personal accolades at the ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria, on Thursday night.

He said: "I'm quite disappointed, but I don't want to complain too much. I just want to give credit to Aubameyang - you've been doing brilliantly well this year."

Swansea and Ghana forward Andre Ayew finished third in the poll with 112 points.