Osimhen breaks 24-year jinx, wins CAF player of the year award

Super Eagles and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen has been pronounced the 2023 CAF footballer of the year.
The striker edged Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah – winner in 2017 and 2018 – and Morocco and PSG defender, Achraf Hakimi to the prestigious award.
Votes from head coaches/technical directors and captains of the senior national teams from CAF’s member associations saw Osimhen selected as the continent’s best footballer in 2023.
The Napoli’s no 9 collected the accolade at a ceremony in Egypt on Tuesday and was also named in the FIFPro Africa Best XI for 2019, alongside Salah and Joel Matip.
It was a successful calendar year for the 24-year-old as he ended the 2022-23 season by winning the scudetto with Napoli for the first time in 33 years.
Osimhen scored 26 goals in 32 appearances for the pertinoples, whilst also clinching the golden boot award for the same season.
Before Osimhen, the last Nigerian to win the awards was Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
Nigeria Players have won the prestigious awards five times, Rasheed Yekini became the first Nigerian to bag the award. Emmanuel Amuneke won it in 1994, whilst Victor Ikepba was crowned in 1997.

.As Oshoala wins record th African Women’s player of the year

Meanwhile, Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala has won a record sixth African Women’s Player of the Year Award.
Oshoala, who plays club football for Barcelona, beat South Africa’s Thembi Klagtlana and Zambia’s Barbara Banda to the award.
The 27-year-old played a key role in Barcelona Femeni’s UEFA Women’s Champions League success last season.
The Barcelona star becomes the first woman to claim the award for a record sixth time.
Oshoala was also a 2023 Ballon d’Or nominee.

Shaibu congratulates Osimhen, Oshoala for awards

Similarly, Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu, has congratulated Victor Osimhen, Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Napoli FC forward, for clinching the coveted 2023 African Footballer Of The Year Award.
Similarly, he also congratulated sensational female footballer, Asisat Oshoala for clinching the African Women’s Player of the Year Award for the record 6th time. Oshoala is the Super Falcon forward.
In his congratulatory message he personally signed, the Deputy Governor noted:
“I am profoundly delighted to congratulate our own Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala for bringing football glory to our dear country, Nigeria. Super Eagles of Nigeria forward, Victor Osimhen, has been crowned the CAF Best Footballer of the year 2023 while Asisat Oshoala, for the record 6th time, clinched the CAF’s African Best Women’s Player of the Year 2023. Indeed, the icing on the cake is the fact that for the very first time, these two prestigious football titles are won by Nigerians”.
“No doubt, this is a great feat worth celebrating by sports enthusiasts, particularly football lovers in Nigeria and beyond, for the breath of fresh air the glamorous awards have brought to Nigerian football”.
“For me, these awards are well deserved and befitting of the record-breaking performances both of you have put up in your respective clubs outside our shores and of course, in the Nigeria male and female national teams”.
“Indeed, you have not only done well for yourselves, you have made Edo and Ogun States proud and taken Nigerian football to the next level”.
“Once again, congratulations and many more exploits in your football career”.