Nigeria has dominated the 2023 CAF Awards with its players winning the best players on the continent for the male and female categories.
Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen picked up the CAF Mens player of the year award after 24 years, while Asisat Oshoala of FC Barcelona (Female) won the CAF Women’s player of the year award for a record extending 6th year.
The awards were announced at the ongoing CAF Awards holding in Morocco.
Osimhen garnered the highest number of votes to defeat Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and Achraf Hakimi of Morroco to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.
The Napoli striker became the first Nigerian to win the CAF men’s Player of the Year since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
Osimhen had a laurel-laden 2023, which started with leading Napoli to the club’s first Italian Serie A title in 30 years last season.
The Eagles striker scored 25 league goals to become the league’s highest goalscorer, setting the record as the first African footballer to achieve the feat.
He was also instrumental for Nigeria during the AFCON 2024 qualification campaign and was the top goalscorer in the series with ten goals.
Osimhen was named the eighth best male footballer in the world at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in October. He finished higher than any other Africans on the list. He also became the first Nigerian to be named in the top ten of the Ballon d’Or.
He recently won the Italian Footballers’ Association (IFA) player of the year award for the 2022/23 season, in which he was the highest goalscorer in the league with 25 goals.
Osimhen joins the illustrious list of male Nigerian footballers who have men named the best players on the continent. The list includes Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike, Victor Ikpeba and Kanu, who won the prize twice.
Oshoala Wins Six Straight Title
The triumph is Oshoala’s sixth time winning the award, pulling clear as the footballer with the most wins.
Oshoala had been adjudged the best African female football in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022.
Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie also won the women’s goalkeeper of the year prize.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria were also named the women’s best national team on the continent.
The Nigerian duo of Michelle Alozie and Tosin Demehin made the CAF women’s best XI.
However, Deborah Abiodun was beaten to the women’s best young player prize by Nesryne El Chad of Morroco.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Player of the Year (Women)
Asisat Oshoala
Goalkeeper of the year (Women)
Chiamaka Nnadozie of Nigeria
Goalkeeper of the year (Men)
Yassine Bounou of Morocco
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Fatima Tagnaout of Morocco
Interclub Player of the Year (Men)
Pacy Tau of Al Ahly/South Africa
Young Player of the Year (Women)
Nesryne El Chad of Morocco
Young Player of the Year (Men)
Lamine Camara of Senegal
Coach of the Year (Women)
Desiree Ellis of South Africa
Coach of the Year (Men)
Walid Regragui of Morocco
Club of the Year (Women)
Mamelodi Sundowns
Club of the Year (Men)
Al Ahly FC
National Team of the Year (Women)
Super Falcons of Nigeria
National Team of the Year (Men)
Morocco
Goal of the Year
Mahmoud Kahraba of Al Ahly
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
