Nigeria and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen has won the 2023 CAF African Player of the Year Award at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, in Marrakech, Morocco.
Osihmen beat Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and Morocco’s Acraf Hakimi to scoop the prestigious award for the first time.
The Super Eagles forward had a memorable 2022–2023 season in the Italian Serie A, scoring 26 goals and assisting four times to help Napoli win their first Scudetto since 1989–1990.
He also finished as the top scorer in the Ivory Coast 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers with ten goals for Nigeria.
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Osimhen has now become the first male Nigerian since former Arsenal forward Nwankwo Kanu in 1999, to win the award.
He has also become the fourth Nigerian to win after Rashidi Yekini, Victor Ikpeba, and Kanu who won it twice.
Meanwhile, her compatriot, Asisat Oshoala, who plays for FC Barcelona was also unveiled as the female player of the year, beating Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Themb Kgatlana of South Africa.
She has now won the record six times.
Asisat won the La Liga title for the eighth time, the Champions League for the second time in its history, as well as the Supercup, scoring 28 goals for her club and country.