BREAKING: Nigeria wins big at CAF Awards 2023, Osimhen scoop Men Player Of The Year 

***As Oshoala,  Nnadozie, Super Falcons sweep women category

By Harry Awurumibe Editor-in-Chief, Abuja

Super Eagles striker and Napoli of Italy talismanic goalpoacher Victor Osimhen has won the prestigious CAF Best Player of the Year Award 2023.

The Nigerian who singlehandedly helped Napoli to win the Scudetto after many years in the wilderness shrugged off stiff opposition from Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and Ashraf Hakimi of Morocco to win the top prize of the night.

Osimhen feat came 24 years after the last Nigerian, Nwankwo Kanu won his second African award in 1999. He won his first prize in 1996  just as three other Nigerian players had won the prestigious award earlier on. They are legends Rashidi Yekini 1993, Emmanuel Amunike 1994 and Victor Ikpeba 1997 respectively.

Also, Super Falcons and FC Barcelona Feminin star, Asisat Lamina Oshoala won the Women version of CAF Player of the Year Award. This is her 6th CAF Player of the Year Awards, having won her 5th last year to outdo her compatriot and ex-international Perpetua Nkwocha who won the African top prize 4 times.

She defeated South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana and Barbara Banda of Zambia to win her 6th CAF Best Player Award.

In the same vein, Super Falcons first choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Cynthia Nnadozie has won the Goalkeeper of the Year Award (women) at the event. The Paris FC safe-gloves beat Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi and Andile Dlamini of South Africa’s Banyana Banyana and Mamelodi Sundowns FC, to win the award for the first time in her career.

Nigeria’s senior women’s football team Super Falcons have yet again been declared the best women’s national team in Africa after emerging the Team of the Year at the ongoing 2023 CAF Awards in Marrakech,  Morocco.

Meanwhile, Deborah Abiodun has failed to win the Young Player Of The Year as Morocco’s Nesryne El Chad won the Award. Comfort Yeboah of Ghana’s Black Queens came a distant third position.

Out of seven Prizes in the Women Category, Nigeria swept three awards through Oshoala,  Nnadozie and Super Falcons