Ghana and Bayern Munich legend Samuel Osei Kuffour believes he should have won the 1999 and 2001 CAF African Footballer of the Year awards.

Kuffour believes he was unjustly denied those awards after he placed second on those two occassions.

Kuffour had an awesome season with Bayern Munich in 1999. The Ghana center back was integral as the Bavarians won the Bundesliga title and finished second to Man United in the UEFA Champions League.

He however lost out on the 1999 CAF APOTY award to Nwanko Kanu who had been absent for club (Arsenal) and country (Nigeria) due to ill health.

Two years later, the defender once again inspired Bayern Munich to the conquest of the Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup.

But despite winning the treble, he suffered same disappointment on the CAF podium after losing the African Player of the year award to Senegal’s El Hadji Diouf.

Sammy Kuffour has told goal.com that he deserved those awards.

“I think I should have won the two of them, because in 1999, Kanu was injured for [almost] the whole year. He scored a hat-trick [against Chelsea] but how many games did he play? Last time, he and I were debating, we were talking about it.

“Kanu and I go a long way, we have been very good friends. We were discussing the issue and it turned into laughter. For me, I think I deserved to win in 1999. Even the guy who came third, [Ibrahima] Bakayoko [of Mali] told me I deserved to win it.

“In 2001, even for the BBC African Player of the Year, El-Hadji Diouf was not even part of it. It was me, Mohammed Kallon of Sierra Leone and Samuel Eto’o. So why should El-Hadji Diouf win [the Caf award]?

“If you become the African Player of the Year, they [Caf] will call you to tell you. You have to choose the venue and date. And I did that: I chose the venue and date. Even today, a lot of people ask about that; they were shocked. How?

“You play Africa Cup of Nations in January and you didn’t win the trophy. I won the league, FA Cup, the Champions League, the Inter-continental Cup – I was the [Man of the Match], I was the best defender in the German league, so how? I don’t know. I don’t think about it. We talk about it and we laugh – me and my children.”