Victor Osimhen, a striker for Napoli and the Super Eagles, has been included on the shortlists of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the Africa Men’s Player of the Year award in 2023.
Alongside Osimhen, cadence for the award, CAF’s X handle on Wednesday unveiled the names of 29 additional nominees.
In addition to Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, Sofyane Amrabat, and Achraf Hakimi have been nominated as prominent figures.
Yassine Bounou, Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey, Vincent Aboubakar, and Edmond Tapsoba are additional candidates on the shortlist.
Osimhen was ranked eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or competition on Monday in Paris, France.
This achievement marks the highest position ever held by a Nigerian competitor, surpassing the eleventh-place finish made by Nwankwo Kanu in 1996.
Since 1999, when Kanu won the CAF Africa Men’s Player award, no Nigerian has done so.
Only four Nigerians have won the title of Africa Player of the Year: the late Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Victor Ikpeba (1997), and Kanu (1996, 1999).
In the interim, Gift Orban received a nomination in the category for the 2023 Africa Young Player of the Year award.
Orban will contend for the award against nine other youthful and dynamic candidates.
On Monday, December 11, 2023, the CAF Africa Player of the Year ceremony will be held in Marrakech, Morocco.