Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala win footballer of the yr awards whereas Morocco are named staff of the yr.
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 night time. The star striker, who performs for Barcelona, battled harm to assist her facet to the spherical of 16 on 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 shock 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 had been the opposite two ultimate 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 all people who has helped me on this journey and all Africans who’ve helped to place me on the map regardless of my faults,” Osimhen mentioned.
Morocco gained Nationwide Group 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 house the trophy for Nationwide Group of the Yr for girls, 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 yr.
𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞. 🌟#CAFAwards2023 pic.twitter.com/Eelau2THEY
— CAF (@CAF_Online) December 11, 2023
Nigeria’s bought expertise
The Nigerian Presidency congratulated all of the nation’s winners, describing their awards in a submit on X as inspirational.
“This recognition on the highest degree is an enormous shot within the arm for Nigeria soccer,” Abuja Soccer Affiliation Chairman Adam Muktar Mohammed informed the Agence France-Presse information company.
“Evidently, there’s an abundance of expertise in Nigeria. We solely must harness this expertise to be a significant power in worldwide soccer.”
Nevertheless, Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup hopes are already in jeopardy after they drew their first two qualifiers towards Lesotho and Zimbabwe final month.
The boys’s staff additionally failed to succeed in final yr’s World Cup in Qatar after shedding 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 happy with you,” Musa wrote on X, previously Twitter.
“Properly deserved @victorosimhen9, we’re all happy with you,” Ekong added.
#6!!!!!! 🇳🇬✨ https://t.co/8ZkJmYRYcW
— William Troost-Ekong (@WTroostEkong) December 11, 2023
