The Confederation of African Football on Wednesday revealed the list of nominees for the 2023 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award whose prestigious ceremony will take place on 11 December 2023 in Marrakech, Morocco.
Despite last year’s winner, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah making the 30-man shortlist, Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen is certainly one of the favorites to cart home the individual prize.
Other top stars nominated are Riyad Mahrez, Sofyane Amrabat, Achraf Hakimi, Yassine Bounou, Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey, Vincent Aboubakar and Edmond Tapsoba.
Also included on the list are Ramy Bensebaini, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Ibrahima Sangare, Seko Fofana, Chancel Mbemba, Fiston Mayele, Mahmoud Abdel Moneim “Kahraba”, Mohamed Abdelmonem and Mohamed ElShenawy.
Others are Serhou Guirassy, Yves Bissouma, Azzedine Ounahi, Hakim Ziyech, Yahya Jabrane, Youssef En-Nesyri, Peter Shalulile, Pape Matar Sarr, Percy Tau and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane.
Complete Sports’ Oluyemi Ogunseyin, hereby, gives five reasons why Osimhen should be the CAF player of the year.
Also listed are four other favorites that can win the 2023 CAF African Player of the year award…
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Napoli)
Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, is without doubt the number one favorite to win the CAF African Player of the year award following his exploits for both Napoli and Nigeria in the months under review.
Osimhen scored 26 goals and made four assists in 32 Serie A matches, propelling Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33-years and netted 31 times in 39 games in all competitions in the 2022/23 season.
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He broke the scoring records of former AC Milan striker, George Weah and ex-Inter Milan forwards, Obafemi Martins and Samuel Eto’o in the Serie A, thereby becoming the highest scoring African in the Italian top-flight.
The Nigerian attacking sensation also became the first African football ever to emerge as top-scorer in the Serie A in a single season in 125-years.
He also bagged ten goals and two assists in the 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers to also emerge as top-scorer in the qualification series.
The striker scored five goals in six UEFA Champions League outings for the Partenopei to lead the club to a historic campaign in the competition. Osimhen has scored six goals and made one assist in ten matches in all competitions for Napoli in the 2023/24 season.
The 24-year-old striker who has proven to be an important player for Napoli as he was key in the run-up to their Scudetto triumph last season has now scored 65 goals and made 15 assists in 111 games across all competitions for the Partenopei.
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
Algerian winger, Riyad Mahrez ranks as favorite to become the next CAF African Player of the year after winning the treble with former club, Manchester City last season.
Mahrez played his part as Man City won the Premier League title, FA Cup and Champions League as he netted 15 goals and registered 13 assists in 47 games in all competitions.
Yassine Bounou (Morocco & Sevilla)
Yassine Bounou was highly instrumental to Morocco coming fourth at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the goalkeeper making great saves during regulation, extra time and penalty shootouts.
Bounou won the Europa League with Sevilla after saving two spot kicks in a 4–1 win over Roma in the penalty shootout after the final had ended 1–1.
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Paris Saint-Germain)
Achraf Hakimi is one of the favorites to win the CAF award after helping Morocco to become the first African country to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup.
Hakimi also won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain after tallying five goals and six assists in 39 appearances across all competitions.
Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco & Sevilla)
Youssef En-Nesyri is in the race for the award after playing a major role in Morocco finishing fourth at the 2022 World Cup.
En-Nesyri scored the only goal as Morocco defeated Portugal to reach the semi-finals. He bagged 18 goals and two assists in 48 games as Sevilla won the Europa League.
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COMMENTS
Yassine have move to the SPL Mr poster.
This is the toughest CAF awards for me because every country has a reason their players should be considered. We leave the rest to the country with the highest political power.