Osimhen to battle Salah, Hakimi for 2023 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award
By Jennifer S. Kuwanta
Super Eagles and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen will battle Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi of Morocco for the 2023 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
CAF on Thursday unveiled the final three shortlist for the award on their X handle. Osimhen is aiming to become the first Nigerian since 1999 to win the award.
The last time a Nigerian won the award was Nwankwo Kanu during his time at Arsenal.
On Monday in Milan, Osimhen was named the Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) Player of the Year for the 2022/23 Serie A season.
Among the three final shortlist, only Salah has been a recipient of the award after winning it twice in 2017 and 2018.
Also, a Moroccan player last won the award in 1998, when Mustapha Hadji beat Austin Okocha and Sunday to second and third place respectively to be crowned best player on the continent.
Meanwhile, the final shortlist in other categories involving Nigerians were announced by CAF in their X.
In the women’s Player of the Year category, Asisat Oshoala will battle South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana and Barbara Banda of Zambia.
Deborah Abiodun is in the final three for the Young Player of the Year for women and Chiamaka Nnadozie will contest for the best goalkeeper award also for women.
Earlier CAF shortlisted Nigeria for the 2023 Women’s National Team of the Year alongside Morocco and South Africa.
The winners will be announced on Monday, 11 December in Marrakech, Morocco.
