Global football talents from Nigeria, Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala, have been named on the final three-man list for the CAF Player of the Year award in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively.
The African football governing body, through tweets on its social media channels on Thursday, announced the finalists for the CAF awards.
Osimhen, who was the top scorer in the 2023 African Cup Nations qualifiers, will compete for the top gong against Mohammed Salah of Egypt and Achraf Hakimi of Morocco.
The Nigerian, who scored 26 goals last season, was also a key player in Napoli’s Scuddeto victory, in the process of taking home the Golden Boot.
Oshoala, who is currently the African women’s player of the year, is competing for the top spot against Barbara Banda of Zambia and Thembi Klagtlana of South Africa.
Oshoala led FC Barcelona to the Spanish League championship in 2022–2023 with 21 goals in 28 games. She also finished as the club’s top scorer in all competitions with 27 goals. The 28-year-old played a key role in both Barcelona’s retaining their domestic title and UEFA Women’s Champions League victory.
She is the first Nigerian and female African player to score in three separate FIFA World Cup editions.
Additionally, the Super Falcons Chiamaka Nnadozie, who plays for Paris FC, in the running for Goalkeeper of the Year (Women), faces off against Andile Dlamini (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns) and Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi.
Deborah Abiodun, another Nigerian, is a nominee for the Young Player of the Year (Women) award. The Pittsburgh Panthers midfielder has become one of the continent’s rising talents in the last year, despite only appearing in one of the team’s four World Cup matches. In the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2023, she played for Nigeria.
The Super Falcons are vying for the title of Women’s Team of the Year as well.
The award ceremony will take place in Marrakech, Morocco on the 11th of December, 2023.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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