• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang won African Player of Year for 2015 • ‘It hurt me and that’s a shame,’ says Borussia Dortmund forward

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has admitted he was hurt by criticism after he was voted the African Player of the Year.

Aubameyang, the Borussia Dortmund and Gabon striker, was given the award this month, leading to complaints from Yaya Touré and André Ayew that he did not deserve it.

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But Aubameyang, 26, who has scored 27 goals in 27 games this season, hit back at Touré, the Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder, and Ayew, the Swansea and Ghana forward.

“I spoke with Ayew, I did not understand [his attitude]. It doesn’t matter,” he said.

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“The Golden Ball [of Africa] is played on all season and my calendar year was not bad. It hurt me and that’s a shame.”