The following is the factfile of Malian striker Frederic K anoute who Friday was named the African Footballer of the year 2007 in an elabor a te ceremony here.
Kanoute, who was born in France 2 September 1977, is the first European-born p layer to win the award.
Played his first pro soccer for Olympique Lyon and featured for France as an u nder-17 player.
His search for soccer stardom took him to West Ham United in England in 2000 w here he amassed 29 league goals in four seasons.
He joined London club Tottenham Hotspur three years later
A year later, he returned to Africa to play for Mali, featuring in the 2004 Nati ons Cup tournament.
He was joint top scorer with four goals - one in each of Mali's four matches - as Mali reached the semi-final of that competition.
In 2005, Kanoute moved over to Spanish side Seville for a whopping transfer fe e of 6.5 million euros, justifying his prize by scoring in all five of the team' s cup triumphs over three seasons.
He was also Sevilla's top scorer with 21 goals in the Spanish La liga and anot her eight goals in the local cup contest.
Kanoute was instrumental to Mali's qualification for the current African natio ns' cup tournament in Ghana but they made their exit in the group stage after lo s ing 3-0 to Cote d'Ivoire.
His award Friday was not without a very stiff opposition from Ivorien captain Di dier Drogba and Michael Essien of Ghana.