Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala win footballer of the 12 months awards whereas Morocco are named group of the 12 months.
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has been named African Footballer of the Yr after beating Mohamed Salah to the award at a ceremony in Marrakesh.
Osimhen’s compatriot Asisat Oshoala bagged the ladies’s prize for a record-extending sixth time on the gala on Monday evening. The star striker, who performs for Barcelona, battled damage to assist her facet to the round of 16 at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the place they took England to penalties.
The 24-year-old Osimhen scored 26 targets as he helped Napoli to a surprise triumph in Serie A final season and was the main marksmen in Italy’s high division.
Egypt’s Liverpool ahead Salah and Morocco’s Paris St Germain proper again Achraf Hakimi have been the opposite two closing nominees, however Osimhen claimed the prize to grow to be the primary Nigerian winner since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
“It’s a dream come true. I’ve to thank everyone who has helped me on this journey and all Africans who’ve helped to place me on the map regardless of my faults,” Osimhen stated.
Morocco gained Nationwide Crew of the Yr within the males’s class after their thrilling run to the World Cup semifinals in Qatar whereas their supervisor, Walid Regragui, gained Coach of the Yr.
Nigeria took residence the trophy for Nationwide Crew of the Yr for ladies, however South Africa’s Desiree Ellis gained ladies’s Coach of the Yr for the fourth time in succession.
France-based Chiamaka Nnadozie was named the highest ladies’s goalkeeper on the continent.
Osimhen, Oshoala and Michelle Alozie additionally made the groups of the 12 months.
𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞. 🌟#CAFAwards2023 pic.twitter.com/Eelau2THEY
— CAF (@CAF_Online) December 11, 2023
Nigeria’s received expertise
The Nigerian Presidency congratulated all of the nation’s winners, describing their awards in a put up on X as inspirational.
“This recognition on the highest degree is a large shot within the arm for Nigeria soccer,” Abuja Soccer Affiliation Chairman Adam Muktar Mohammed advised the Agence France-Presse information company.
“Evidently, there’s an abundance of expertise in Nigeria. We solely should harness this expertise to be a serious drive in worldwide soccer.”
Nevertheless, Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup hopes are already in jeopardy after they drew their first two qualifiers in opposition to Lesotho and Zimbabwe final month.
The boys’s group additionally failed to achieve final 12 months’s World Cup in Qatar after dropping to Ghana on away targets in a playoff.
A number of Tremendous Eagles stars led by captain Ahmed Musa and defender William Ekong in addition to coach Jose Peseiro joined within the tributes for Osimhen after he was named CAF Participant of the Yr.
“Congrats as soon as once more @victorosimhen9 @asisatoshoala pleased with you,” Musa wrote on X, previously Twitter.
“Nicely deserved @victorosimhen9, we’re all pleased with you,” Ekong added.
#6!!!!!! 🇳🇬✨ https://t.co/8ZkJmYRYcW
— William Troost-Ekong (@WTroostEkong) December 11, 2023