The Egyptian FA confirmed on their official website that Abou-Reida was voted ahead of Tunisia’s Selim Shayboub with a massive difference of 34 votes.

The results were announced during the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) annual awards ceremony, which was held in Lagos, Nigeria on Tuesday.

The ceremony witnessed the announcement of Egypt and Ahli as Africa’s best national and club sides respectively for the year 2008.

Ahli playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika won the continent’s Inter-CAF award for best player, and the Pharaohs’ coach Hassan Shehata was chosen as tactician of the year.

Abou-Reida, who was head of the CAN 2006 organizing committee, is also head of Egypt’s Under 21 World Cup organizing committee.

He will be the first Egyptian FIFA member since Abdul-Aziz Mostafa was voted for a place at the world's football governing body in 1958.