Mane came fourth in the final standings with 347 votes from the panel of world football journalists, behind winner Lionel Messi (686 votes) of Barcelona, Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk (679) and Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo (476).
As well as helping his team to Champions League glory in June, Mane has continually excelled in domestic action for the Premier League's runaway leaders and Kouyate, who was part of the Palace team that lost 2-1 to Mane's Liverpool in November, suggested the 27-year-old was overlooked due to an anti-African bias.
"For me this Ballon d'Or is for Sadio Mane, there is no doubt about that,"
"Listen, if Sadio was a Brazilian or a European there would not have been no debate,"
"It would have been him for the award straight away and it's not because I play with him at the international level, or because I know him; it's just what people who watch football feel."
Mane won the Champions League in June with Liverpool and has continually excelled in domestic action for the Premier League's leaders and Kouyate, who was part of the Palace team that lost 2-1 to Mane's Liverpool in November, suggested the 27-year-old was overlooked due to an anti-African bias.