How Victor Osimhen Was Crowned African Player of The Year 24 years After Kanu Nwankwo Won The Award
Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, was crowned the African Player of The Year at the 2023 CAF Awards, held in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday, December 11, 2023. He became the first Nigerian player to win the award since 1999 by beating North African stars Mohammed Salah and Achraf Hakimi to the Player of the Year award.
The 24-year-old was in superb form for Napoli last year, helping his Italian team win their first Italian league title in 33 years and also securing the Italian golden boot by scoring 26 goals in 32 Serie A matches last season and 31 goals overall. Some fans of the Naples-based club dubbed him the “King of Naples.”
Additionally, he played a crucial role in helping Nigeria qualify for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast next year, finishing as the highest goalscorer with ten goals in the Afcon qualifying round.
Mohammed Salah and Achraf Hakimi were both influential for both their club sides and national teams. Salah was a main provider of goals for Liverpool last season, scoring 30 goals and recently becoming the highest-scoring African player in the Premier League. Hakimi played an integral part in Morocco’s FIFA World Cup 2022 journey, leading his team to the semi-finals of the competition and becoming the first African country to reach the semi-finals stage of the tournament.
With the award, Osimhen becomes the fifth Nigerian player to win the coveted CAF Player of the Year award, following in the footsteps of former Super Eagles players such as Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba, and Kanu Nwankwo. Kanu Nwankwo was the last Nigerian player to win the award in 1999. The Napoli striker being crowned as the African Player of the Year at the 2023 CAF Awards breaks the 24-year jinx of a Nigerian not winning the award.
Also, Osimhen finished eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or award shortlist.
Osimhen’s win is a significant achievement for Nigerian football, and this individual award for one of their greatest exploits is a commendable feat for the country’s football federation.
