Victor Osimhen, the Super Eagles’ forward, has secured a spot among the ten finalists for the 2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Player of the Year award.
This prestigious accolade boasts a competitive list of contenders, including last year’s winner, Sadio Mane from Senegal, Algerian standout Riyad Mahrez, and Egypt’s prolific talent Mohamed Salah. The Cameroonian pair of Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Vincent Aboubacar, alongside Moroccans Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, Yassine Bounou, and Youssef En-Nesyri, complete the distinguished lineup.
Osimhen stands as the lone representative from Nigeria across all categories in the final shortlist unveiled by CAF on Friday. Initially announced as part of a 30-player long list on November 1, this recent reduction to ten players features Osimhen vying for the top honor against Salah, Mane, and Mahrez.
Osimhen’s exceptional performance during the 2022/23 season notably led Napoli to clinch the Serie A title, a monumental achievement for the club after a 33-year wait.
The ultimate victor will be determined through a comprehensive voting process involving the CAF Technical Committee, esteemed media professionals, head coaches, and captains of Member Associations.