Uruguay midfielder Carlos Sanchez voted best in South America Posted: Jan 01, 2016 • 12:00 AM by Prince Mukherjee

Montevideo, Jan 1 ( ): Uruguay international midfielder Carlos Sanchez has been named the 2015 Rey de America, awarded to the best player in South American football.

The 31-year-old, who helped Argentina giants River Plate to this year's Copa Libertadores title, received 182 votes from the region's most renowned journalists, a news agency reported.

Sanchez is the first Uruguayan to win the prize since Enzo Francescoli in 1995, according to Uruguay's El Pais newspaper.

He finished ahead of Carlos Tevez (Boca Juniors) and Miller Bolanos (Emelec).

The Rey de America award is considered to be South American football's top individual accolade.

Sanchez left River Plate to sign a three-year contract with Mexico's Rayados de Monterrey in November.