Nigerian football superstars Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala shone brightly at the 2023 CAF Awards Gala in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday night as both players won the biggest individual awards for the year 2023 – the African Player of the Year.
Monday’s double accolade by Osimhen and Oshoala is the first time two players from the same country will win both flagship awards for men and women at the same time ever since the Women’s awards started in 2001.
Osimhen made headlines in Italy, leading Napoli to an incredible league title for the first time in over three decades and also for his contribution in the Super Eagles jersey having finished top scorer in the qualifying series for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations while Oshoala is recognised for her exploits with Spanish club Barcelona and Nigeria’s Super Falcons.
Osimhen’s remarkable journey saw him fend off stiff competition from Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi who has a great World Cup tournament twelve months ago and in-form Egyptian striker Mohammed Salah.
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.
Osimhen’s accolade also ends a 24-year wait for Nigeria after Nwankwo Kanu’s second Player of the Year gong in 1999 but Oshoala further stretches what looks like an insurmountable record now.
Both Osimhen and Oshoala touched down in Marrakech on Monday afternoon through different private jets, fuelling suspicions that they would land the awards.
Other awards
Nigeria’s Super Falcons also crowned a great year during which they ruffled feathers at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia by claiming the National Team of the Year gong, an award received by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
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. The trophy was presented to her by Nigerian football legend Perpetua Nkwocha.
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.
Full List of Award Winners:
Player of the Year (Men): Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Napoli)
Player of the Year (Women): Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria, Barcelona)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men): Percy Tau (South Africa, Al Ahly)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women): Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco, AS FAR)
Coach of the Year (Men): Walid Regragui (Morocco)
Coach of the Year (Women): Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Goalkeeper of the Year (Men): Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal)
Goalkeeper of the Year (Women): Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC)
Young Player of the Year (Men): Lamine Camara (Senegal, Metz)
Young Player of the Year (Women): Nesryne El Chad (Morocco, Lille)
National Team of the Year (Men): Morocco
National Team of the Year (Women): Nigeria
Club of the Year (Men): Al Ahly (Egypt)
Club of the Year (Women): Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
