On Monday, 11th December, 2023. The Confederation of African Football held its highly anticipated awards at the monarchical city of Marrakech in Morocco. After a series of evaluations by CAF’s panel of experts and speculation from fans.
Nigeria’s victor Osimhen emerged as the African men’s player of the year 2023 affirming his stance as the King of African football in recognition of his monumental achievements for the Super Eagles and Italy’s league Series.
The Napoli player defeated Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi. Osimhen’s win poses as a win for Nigeria bringing the top individual trophy home after 24 years from legend Kanu Nwanko’s win in 1999.
Osimhen was in attendance at the ceremony, in which he gave a thoughtful speech after being awarded.
“Good Evening ladies and gentlemen first of all I want to thank you God for everything special thanks go to Emmanuel Amuneke. Without him, I don’t think I’ll be standing in front of you guys holding one of the most prestigious awards in world football.
It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey in achieving my dreams and achieving my goals. I appreciate Nigerians for their support. I appreciate Africa for putting me on the map for encouraging me and for defending me regardless of my shortcomings.
Thank you so much,I also thank Emmanuel Adebayo for his encouragement, Solomon Kalu, I appreciate you every African legend that I’ve looked up to while growing up has inspired me. Didier Drogba, my role model, thank you so much. I appreciate you all God bless you all”.
Osimhen’s Player of the Year title comes from the unprecedented performance he has shown at the Italian league Serie A’s club Napoli and Nigeria’s national team. He led the Napoli team to victory after a long 33 years in which he surfaced as the top goalscorer with 26 goals.
He was also the top goalscorer at the AFCON qualifiers. Not to forget his position at the recent Ballon d ‘or rank 8, the highest-ranked African and the first Nigerian to appear in the top 10. His World class exhibitions have earned him recognition as one of the world’s best strikers.
After his historic win fans and well-wishers worldwide sent him congratulatory messages across social media platforms. Finally, African football has chosen its top player of the year 2023 and it’s none other than the deserving Victor Osimhen.
Other winners awarded from the session includes
- Best Goalkeeper – Moroccan Yassine Bounou clinched the CAF award for Best African Goalkeeper, surpassing Cameroon’s Andre Onana and Egypt’s Mohamed El-Shenawy.
- Best Coach: In the coaching realm, Walid Regragui, the national team coach, secured victory in the men’s category for guiding Morocco to a historic World Cup semi-final run in Qatar. The 48-year-old triumphed over Senegal’s Aliou Cisse and Algeria’s Abdelhak Benchika for the coaching award.
- Young Player of the Year (Men): Lamine Camara (Senegal, Metz)
- National Team of the Year (Men): Morocco
- Club of the Year (Men): Al Ahly (Egypt)
This achievement not only solidifies his individual prowess on the football field but also marks a significant milestone in his career, making him a standout figure in African football. Osimhen’s journey and success stand as a testament to his dedication, skill, and impact on the sport, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of CAF football for the year 2023.
