Ghana forward Andre Ayew says he highly regards the Marc Vivien Foe award because the French league has got some of the best players from Africa.
The 25-year-old celebrated his final days with French side Marseille by being named the best African player in France's Ligue 1 on Monday night.
Ayew finished ahead of Ivory Coast's Max Gradel (Saint-Etienne)and Tunisia's Aymen Abdennour (Monaco) for the award to recognize the best African player in the French top-flight.
The winger -- a member of the Ghana side that lost to Ivory Coast 9-8 on penalties in this year's Africa Cup of Nations final -- was picked by a jury of journalists and received the Marc-Vivien Foe Trophy handed out by French radio station RFI and TV channel France 24.
France is famous for having several Africans in their top-flight league and Ayew says this makes it special for any player from the continent who wins the award.
"I am very honoured to have received such a prize," said Ayew, whose father Marseille legend Abedi Pele was African footballer of the year three times.
"It's not just anything for an African player in France. France has had a lot of good African players.
"I have often been close to winning it and this year was the good one. It just proves I have to work even harder... Only work pays.