Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-EmerickAubameyang was recently crowned as the African footballer of the year.
Even though this decision by the officials has been met with surprising responses from the likes of Yaya Toure, the player says that he has received congratulatory messages from stars like Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o. Both have been recipients of this award in the past and there is a feeling that Aubameyang can become like them if he continues in the same vein of form. Drogba and Eto’o were not renowned goalscorers in one season. Instead, they proved their mettle over several seasons and at various clubs.
Aubameyang finished last season in prolific fashion with 16 goals to his name. He has improved these statistics even further by going past the 20 goal figure already. Aubameyang has managed these goals in just 20 games, thus putting himself amongst the elite category of players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who consistently average more than a goal per game. Aubameyang says that the motivation from the likes of Drogba is a huge bonus, as he strives to become one of the best forwards in the game. Still just 26 years old, Aubameyang has been linked with a move to a bigger club in the near future.
Arsenal are thought to be one of the parties interested in signing him in the summer.“They are two big players that made history for the African continent, it’s normal for any player to try to follow their steps. Drogba sent me a message recently. I told him that I’m still watching all his goals that he scored years ago. I know Samuel Eto’o very well. We meet a lot and we communicate through text messages and phone calls. They both had a positive impact on me,” said the striker.