Nigeria Shines At CAF Awards

By: Gyang Dakwo

Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala have made it a Nigerian night after clinching the male and female footballer of the year respectively at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

The duo’s feat is quite significant as no other nation has ever won both coveted prizes in the same year.

Osimhen claimed the prize after beating Egypt’s Liverpool forward Salah and Morocco’s Paris St Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi to become the first Nigerian winner since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.

Osimhen, 24, scored 26 goals as he helped Napoli to a surprise triumph in Serie A last season and was the leading marksman in Italy’s top division.

“It is a dream come true. I have to thank everybody who has helped me on this journey and all Africans who have helped to put me on the map despite my faults,” Osimhen said.

Barcelona forward Oshoala was named the women’s African Footballer of the Year for a record sixth time, having battled injury to help her side to the round of 16 at the World Cup in Australia & New Zealand where they took England to penalties.

Oshoala triumphed over South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana and Zambia’s Barbara Banda to claim the award she had previously won in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022.

“This night, I would love to use this opportunity to thank everyone who has been part of my journey from grassroots football to the national level to the club side. Because without you, my coaches, and my teammates, there will be no me,” Oshoal said in her acceptance speech.

The wins continued for Nigeria as Paris FC’s Chiamaka Nnadozie won the 2023 CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.

She beat fellow finalists Khadija Er-Rmichi of Morocco (AS FAR) and Andile Dlamini of South Africa (Mamelodi Sundowns) to claim the prestigious title.

Nnadozie’s remarkable year included impressive performances for both club and country.

With Paris FC, she was instrumental in both their domestic campaign and in the Women’s Champions League.

Nigeria also took home the trophy for female National Team of the Year.

The awards are voted for by panel made up of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) technical committee, African journalists and broadcasters, and head coaches and captains of national teams and leading African clubs.