Victor Osimhen has been nominated for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) men’s player of the year award in 2023.
Only one Nigerian, Osimhen, was named in the 30-player roster that was made public on the CAF website on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old will face Senegalese football star Sadio Mane, Algerian player Riyad Mahrez, and Egyptian player Mohamed Salah for the highly coveted individual prize for male football players on the continent.
Among the other notable nominees are Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey, Vincent Aboubacar, Edouard Mendy, and Achraf Hakimi.He was ranked ninth in the world’s top male football players on Monday at the Ballon d’Or presentation. Compared to other Africans on the list, the Nigerian finished first.
Osimhen also made history by being the first Nigerian to be listed among the top 10 Ballon d’Or winners. Gift Orban of Nigeria is a nominee for the CAF men’s Young Player of the Year award.
Last season, the 24-year-old played in the Belgian Pro League for KAA Gent and was in scorching form. He led the team in goals scored in all competitions with 20 and was called up to the Super Eagles. Orban is still uncapped for the Eagles, though. The 2023 CAF Awards will take place in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 11.
Men’s Player of the Year
Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund and Algeria)
Al Ahli and Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez
Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen and Burkina Faso)
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (owner of SSC Napoli and Cameroon)
Vincent Aboubacar (Besiktas and Cameroon)
Ibrahima Sangare (Nottingham Forest and the Côte d’Ivoire)
[01/11, 15:15] Grace Mbah: Seko Fofana (Al Nassr and the Côte d’Ivoire)
Chancel Mbemba (Olympique Marseille and the DR Congo)
Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth and Burkina Faso)
Souleymane Alio (New Stars and Burkina Faso)
Ernest Nuamah (Olympique Lyonnais & Ghana)
Adessamad Ezzalzouli (Betis and Morocco)
Bilal El Khannous (Genk and Morocco)
Present Orban (KAA Gent and Nigeria)
Lamine Camara (Gen Foot/Metz and Senegal)
Pape Amadou Diallo (Gen Foot/Metz and Senegal)
Zulte Waregem and Senegal’s Pape Demba Diop
Amara Diouf (Gen Foot and Senegal)
Fiston Mayele (Pyramids and DR Congo)
Mahmoud Abdel Moneim, aka “Kahraba,” from Ahly and Egypt
Mohamed Abdelmonem (Al Ahly and Egypt)
Mohamed ElShenawy (Al Ahly and Egypt)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)
Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United and Ghana)
Peter Shalulile (Mamelodi Sundowns and Namibia)
Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli and Nigeria)
Sadio Mane (of Al Nassr and Senegal)
Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur and Senegal)
Percy Tau (Al Ahly and South Africa)
Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Ferencvaros and Tunisia)
[01/11, 15:19] Grace Mbah: Male Young Player of the Year
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea and VfB Stuttgart) and Thomas Partey (Ghana and Arsenal)
[01/11, 15:17] Grace Mbah: Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur and Mali)
Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco)
Azzedine Ounahi (Olympique Marseille and Morocco)
Hakim Ziyech (Galatasaray and Morocco)
Sofyan Amrabat (Manchester United and Morocco)
Yahya Jabrane (Wydad Athletic Club and Morocco)
Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal and Morocco)
Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla and Morocco)