Seko Fofana: Lens midfielder beats Moses Simon to 2022 Marc-Vivien Foe prize

Lens midfielder Seko Fofana has been announced as the winner of the 2022 Marc-Vivien Foe prize.

The Cote d'Ivoire international saw off competition from Nigeria and Nantes' Moses Simon, Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, Olympique Marseille's Karl Toko Ekambi, Idrissa Gueye, Yunis Abdelhamid (Rennes); Nayef Aguerd (Rennes); Sofiane Boufal (Angers); Mohamed Bayo (Clermont Foot); Wahbi Khazri (Saint-Etienne); Mario Lemina (Nice) and Hamari Traore (Mali).

Thanks to his fine form in his second season in France - scoring eight goals in 37 Ligue 1 matches plus several assists, the 27-year-old had the votes of the jury made up of sports journalists.

Fofana claimed 221 points to finish ahead of Rennes' Hamari Traore (91 points) while another Rennes player Nayef Aguerd finished third (77 points).

Fofana joined the Blood and Gold from Italian top-flight outfit Udinese and he has been a key figure at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

"It's pride, a lot of recognition," he said.

"It was close to my heart to win this trophy because it's the Marc-Vivien Foe prize and it reminds me of a lot of things.

"The first time I went to a stadium was when I was young, with my dad. He took me to see the France team play against Turkey and the same day, we learned this sad news [of Foe's death].

"So, when I saw that I was among the finalists, it was close to my heart to win this trophy and that's what happened."

On the international scene, Fofana boasts six caps for the Elephants since making his debut on November 11, 2017, in a 2-0 2018 Fifa World Cup qualification loss to Morocco.

He was axed from the West Africans' squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

PAST WINNERS​

2009 - Marouane Chamakh (Morocco/Bordeaux)

2010 - Gervinho (Ivory Coast/Lille)

2011 - Gervinho (Ivory Coast/Lille)

2012 - Younes Belhanda (Morocco/Montpellier)

2013 - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Saint-Etienne)

2014 - Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria/Lille)

2015 - Andre Ayew (Ghana/Marseille)

2016 - Sofiane Boufal (Morocco/Lille)

2017 - Jean Michael Seri (Ivory Coast/Nice)

2018 - Karl Toko Ekambi (Cameroon/Angers)

2019 - Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast/Lille)

2020 - Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Lille)

2021 - Gael Kakuta (DR Congo/Lens)