Hosni out-shines African superstars

(CNN) -- The African Cup of Nations may have featured some of the biggest stars in world football but it was a player virtually unknown outside of Egypt who walked away with the tournament's top individual honor.

Hosni Abd Rabou had double cause for celebration after Egypt's 1-0 win over Cameroon on Sunday after being named the outstanding player of the competition, ahead of some of Africa's most famous names, including the tournament top scorer Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon and Barcelona, and Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba and Ghana's Michael Essien, both of Chelsea.

While Egypt's success was very much a team effort, Hosni's marauding performances from midfield and dead ball proficiency were among the highlights of the tournament, bringing him four goals including a spectacular strike in the Pharaohs' opening 4-2 win over Cameroon which set the tone for the Egyptians' campaign.

In the final, he worked busily in the engine room as the north Africans struggled for dominance with their combative opponents and was unlucky not to add to his tournament goal tally in the second half, first with a stinging freekick that forced a full-stretch save from Cameroonian keeper Idriss Carlos Kameni and then when he saw a diving header bounce back off the post.

For Hosni, the experience must have been especially satisfying, having missed out on Egypt's African Nations triumph on home soil two years ago because of injury.

Like most of Egypt's squad, Hosni is based at home with Ismaily, one of the country's big three clubs along with Al-Ahly and Zamalek, but a move to Europe will now surely be on the cards.

The 23-year-old has in fact already crossed the Mediterranean once, joining French side Strasbourg on a five-year contract which fell through with the club's relegation to the second division.

Hosni chose to return home to Ismaily, initially on loan, rather than fight for promotion. This time however, with a reputation as a rising star, Hosni's agent will be expecting inquiries from a clutch of clubs from Europe's top leagues before the transfer window reopens in the summer. E-mail to a friend