Nigerian Soccer Stars Shine in 2023 CAF Awards Nomination List

Nigerian soccer talents are gearing up for the 2023 Confederation of African Football Awards in Marrakech, Morocco. Among them, Victor Osimhen, a leading contender for the award, is shortlisted alongside Egyptian star Mohammed Salah and Morocco's Achraf Hakimi.

Osimhen's remarkable achievements include propelling Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years, scoring 26 goals in 32 Serie A matches, and a total of 31 goals in all competitions. His stellar performance in Italy earned him the Serie A Best Striker and Italian Footballers’ Association Player of The Year awards, finishing eighth in the Ballon d’Or shortlist and contending for the Globe Soccer award.

Osimhen's contributions were vital for Nigeria in qualifying for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, topping the qualification series with ten goals. Nwankwo Kanu, the last Nigerian to win the Africa Footballer of the Year in 1999, remains the only Nigerian to have won it twice.

In addition to Osimhen, Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie, and Deborah Abiodun are also nominated. Oshoala, a five-time CAF women’s award winner, is a favourite for a record sixth title, leading Barcelona to UEFA Women’s Champions League glory and an unbeaten league season.

Nnadozie and Abiodun are contenders in their categories, with Nnadozie vying for the Goalkeeper of the Year in the women's category against Morocco's Khadija Er-Rmichi and South Africa's Andile Dlamini, while Abiodun competes for the Young Player of the Year against Ghana's Comfort Yeboah and Morocco's Nesryne El Chad. The awards ceremony is set to take place at the Palais des Congres, Movenpick, in Marrakech.