Victor Osimhen from Nigeria is the lone Nigerian player among the 10 nominees for the 2023 Player of the Year award. The list includes four Moroccans, two Cameroonians, and former winners Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, and Riyad Mahrez.
Osimhen aims to emulate Nwankwo Kanu, the last Nigerian, to secure the award in 1999. Placing eighth in the Ballon d’Or, Osimhen is considered a strong contender for the African version, given his status as the highest-ranked African on the list.
However, he faces competition from four Moroccans: Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, Yassine Bounou, and Youssef En-Nesyri. These players played crucial roles in Morocco’s historic achievement as the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final.
Osimhen played an important role in leading Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years and became the first African player to secure Serie A’s Golden Boot with 26 goals. Sarah, who ranked 11th on the Ballon d’Or list, and Morocco goalkeeper Bounou, who came in 13th, are also strong contenders.
READ ALSO: #BallonDor: Victor Osimhen sets new record, ranked Number 8 in the world
According to the CAF release, “The ultimate winner of each category will be decided after votes from a voting panel consisting of CAF Technical Committee, media professionals, Head Coaches & Captains of Member Associations and clubs involved in the group stages of the Interclub competitions.”
The award ceremony is scheduled for 11 December at the Palais des Congres, Marrakech, Morocco.
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