IT was a huge night for Nigeria tonight in Marrakech, Morocco at the 2023 CAF Awards as Victor Osimhen, Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie and the Super Falcons took home big prizes.
Super Eagles and Napoli striker Osimhen claimed the prestigious African Player of the Year award to end Nigeria’s 24-year wait since Nwankwo Kanu won it in 1999.
The 24-year-old Osimhen, who inspired Napoli to their first Scudetto in 33 years last season with his league-high 26 Serie A goals and was top scorer in the qualifying series for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with 10 goals, beat Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi to the biggest award of the night.
It has been a year of awards for Osimhen, who was also named Best Striker by Serie A and voted the Player of the Year by the Italian Footballers Association.
Osimhen, who shot to limelight as a 16-year-old after scoring a record 10 goals as Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2015, expressed his appreciation to the coach of that team and 1994 African Player of the Year Emmanuel Amuneke for nurturing his talent.
Another big Nigerian win was in the Player of the Year (Women), which Asisat Oshoala claimed for a record-extending sixth time.
The next most successful player in the category is Super Falcons legend Perpetua Nkwocha, who has won the award four times.
Super Falcons and Barcelona striker Oshoala won the award ahead of South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana and Barbara Banda of Zambia.
Oshoala, who is 29 years old, previously won the award in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022.
During her short speech, Oshoala called for unity in African football so that the continent can build on the historical semi-final run of Morocco at the Qatar 2022 World Cup and the record progress of the continent’s representatives at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this year.
Paris FC star Nnadozie, who was outstanding at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and has shone in the UEFA Women’s Champions League this season, won the Goalkeeper of the Year (Women) award ahead of South Africa’s Andile Dlamini and Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi.
Nnadozie, who was Nigeria’s on-field captain at the Women’s World Cup, advised African girls to follow their dreams and never give up, citing her own success after her father’s initial opposition to her aspirations of becoming a football star.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria, the only African team not beaten in open play at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, won the National Team of the Year (Women) award, beating South Africa and Morocco.
The only Nigerian nominee who did not win on the night was Deborah Abiodun, who lost out in the Young Player of the Year (Women) category to Morocco’s Nesryne El Chad.
In other categories, Morocco’s Walid Regragui won the Coach of the Year prize for men while South Africa’s Desiree Ellis won the women’s award, and Senegal’s Lamine Camara claimed the Men’s Young Player of the Year gong.
Morocco won the Men’s National Team of the Year award, with their player Yassine Bounou taking the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year prize.
ALL THE WINNERS
Men’s Player of the Year
Victor Osimhen
Women’s Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year
Chiamaka Nnadozie
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year
Yassine Bounou
Club of the Year (Women)
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
Club of the Year (Men)
Al Ahly
Women’s Inter-Club Player of the Year
Fatima Tagnaout
Men’s Inter-Club Player of the Year
Percy Tau
Women’s Young Player of the Year
Nesryne El Chad
Men’s Young Player of the Year
Lamine Camara
National Team of the Year (Women)
Nigeria
National Team of the Year (Men)
Morocco
𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿
Mahmoud Kahraba’s
Women’s Coach of the Year
Desiree Ellis
Men’s Coach of the Year
Walid Regragui
