Victor Osimhen makes history, crowned CAF African player of the year

Super Eagles and Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen has been crowned the 2023 CAF African Player of the Year.

Osimhen becomes the first Nigerian to win the coveted prize since Nwankwo Kanu won it in 1999.

The 24-year-old beat Liverpool and Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and PSG and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi to the crown.

Osimhen had a remarkable 2022/2023 season, helping the Partonopei win the Serie A title for the first time after over three decades.

He scored 26 league goals and 31 in all competitions to win the Golden Boot and emerge the Serie A Player of the Season.

Osimhen also smashed several records, including the longstanding one by Liberia’s President George Weah, to become the African with the most goals in the Italian topflight.

At the 2023 Ballon d’Or, the Napoli forward was ranked 8th Best Player in the world ahead of the likes of Luka Modric, fellow African Mohammed Salah and Bernardo Silva of Manchester City.

Other 2023 CAF Awards winners
Nigerian icon Oshoala secured the CAF Women’s Player of the Year for a record sixth time. The attacker’s dominance continued as she inspired Barcelona to Champions League glory, finishing as the club’s top scorer with 27 goals across all competitions.

Morocco’s Walid Regragui was crowned CAF’s Best Coach of the Year in the Men’s category – recognised for guiding the Atlas Lions to a historic World Cup semi-final run in Qatar.

South Africa’s Desiree Ellis secured the Best Coach award in the women’s category for her outstanding work with Banyana Banyana. This was Ellis’ record fourth award in this category, which she has won consistently since 2018.

In CAF InterClub, South Africa and Al Ahly’s Percy Tau won the CAF InterClub Player of the Year.

Senegal’s Lamine Camara, the 19-year-old FC Metz forward, clinched the CAF Young Player of the Year award, marking his meteoric rise in African football.

Moroccan prodigy Nesryne El Chad won the inaugural CAF Women’s Young Player of the Year award.

Morocco won the Men’s National Team award following their performance at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, while Nigeria won the Women’s National Team of the Year award.

Egyptian giants Al Ahly clinched the Male Club of the Year award, with the women’s award going to South African side Mamelodi Sundowns.

South Africa dominated the continent’s Best XI players in the Women Category while two members of Morocco’s World Cup semi-final team were included in the male version.

The ultimate winners in each category were decided through a voting process involving a panel comprising CAF Technical Committee, Head Coaches, National Team captains and media professionals.