Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been named the BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2018, the second time in a row.

The Egyptian beat fellow Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane, Medhi Benatia, Kalidou Koulibaly and Thomas Partey to claim the award.

Salah had an exceptional debut campaign at Anfield last term, scoring a record 44 goals in 52 games for the Reds after making the move from Roma.

"It's a great feeling to win again. I'm happy and I would like to win it also next year!" said Salah.

Salah was revelation for the Reds, helping them secure a top four spot and then guiding them to the Champions League final in Kyiv, which ultimately ended in cruel disappointment with Salah being forced off with a shoulder injury.

Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images

His injury impacted his World Cup with the national team, although he still scored twice for Egypt after initially leading them to their first major tournament in 28 years.

"There have been many good moments in 2018," he said.

"The game against Roma at Anfield [Champions League semi-final first leg] was unbelievable. I'm scoring goals and helping the team to get the points to be top of the league. That's always a great feeling."

Salah insisted that his aim now is "to win something with the club so everyone is excited".

"I try to push myself every day to help the team win something," he said.

The BBC received more than 650,000 votes this year - a record for the award.

Salah is the first player since Nigeria and Bolton star Jay-Jay Okocha in 2003/2004 to win the award in two consecutive years.

He is one of just three Egyptians to win the award since its conception in 2001, with Mohamed Barakat (2005) and Mohamed Aboutrika (2008) the other two.

Previous winners

Image: BBC and Getty Images

2017: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)
2015: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yacine Brahimi (Porto and Algeria)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Chris Katongo (Henan Construction and Zambia)
2011: Andre Ayew (Marseille and Ghana)
2010: Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland and Ghana)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2008: Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly and Egypt)
2007: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2006: Michael Essien (Chelsea and Ghana)
2005: Mohamed Barakat (Al Ahly and Egypt)
2004: Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton and Nigeria)
2003: Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton and Nigeria)
2002: El Hadji Diouf (Liverpool and Senegal)
2001: Sammy Kuffour (Bayern Munich and Ghana)