Ahead of the Confederation of African Football prestigious awards, billed for December 11 in Rabat, Morocco, Super Eagles ‘goal-machine’ Osimhen has stated that he’s in contention and can win the 2023 CAF Player of the Year.
The last time a Nigerian won the CAF Player of the Year Award was in 1999, after Nwankwo Kanu beat Samuel Kuffour (Ghana) and Ibrahima Bakayoko (Ivory Coast) to clinch the African gong.
The men’s list initially consisted of 30 players but has been pruned down to four with Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen topping the list of a quartet that also includes Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt), Yaccine Bosounu (Sevilla and Morroco) and Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City and Algeria).
Senegal’s Terenga Lions captain, Sadio Mane is the current Men’s Player of the Year having won the award at the last edition.
Osimhen has been one of the best players from the continent in the last year in review as the 24-year-old scored 31 goals in 39 appearances for Napoli last season, thus helping them win the Scudetto after 33 years.
He then became the first African player in the 125-year history of the Italian top-flight to win the Serie A Golden Boot.
“It [would] mean a lot, a whole lot to me,” the Napoli ace informed Pulse.
“I remember in 2015, when I won the (CAF) Youth Player of the Year (award), you know, I saw the winner (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang) walk up to the podium to receive it (the CAF POTY award).
“Since then, for me, it became a dream to try to be there and win something as prestigious as that.
“I think now I have a huge opportunity to actualise this dream. I’m really looking forward to it, and hopefully, it comes home.”
The winners in each category will be determined through a voting process involving a panel composed of the CAF Technical Committee, media professionals, Head Coaches and Captains of Member Associations, as well as clubs participating in the group stage of the Interclub competitions.
