CAIRO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chelsea and Cote d'Ivoire striker Didier Drogba on Thursday won the African Footballer of the Year award, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on its website.

    Drogba helped his country reach the final of the African Nations Cup and he also played in the World Cup finals in Germany.

    He beat Barcelona and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, the winner in 2003, 2004, 2005, into second place with his Chelsea teammate, Michael Essien of Ghana, in third place.