In this piece, Izuchukwu Okosi attempts to provide useful insights on which of the Nigerian internationals making waves currently are likely to become the next winners of the CAF Awards after the trio of Victor Osimhen, Asisat Oshoala and Chiamaka Nnadozie made the country proud by winning the big prizes in their categories.
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, on Monday evening in the beautiful city of Marrakesh, Morocco became the first Nigerian international since Nwankwo Kanu in 24 years, to win the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
Kanu had won his first award in 1996, after leading Nigeria to win the Olympics gold in the football event in Atlanta, Georgia USA. When Kanu won his second prize in 1999, not many Nigerians believed that it would take so long to have another of their own rewarded by the football ruling body on the continent.
The duo of Vincent Enyeama and John Obi Mikel, were the players considered to have reached the legendary level on the continent to merit the recognition, but ultimately did not win it. Vincent Enyeama was the first African & third goalkeeper to ever score In A UEFA Champions League game. Enyeama is the only goalkeeper to ever score in the CAF Champions League and the UEFA Champions league. He is the only African goalkeeper to ever win the best Player Of The Year Award in the Israeli Premier League.
The onetime Enyimba safe hands is the only goalkeeper to ever receive the CAF Champions League Best Player Award in 2 successive (campaigns) seasons.
Vincent Enyeama is the highest goal scoring African Goalkeeper of All-time (24 Goals) and he holds the record for Most Clean Sheets in a season in the France Ligue 1 with 21 Clean Sheets for LOSC Lille in 2013-14 League season.
Enyeama was a legend and more.
For Mikel, he won the UEFA Champions League with Chlesea and the Europa League. Mikel was in the Super Eagles side that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. Mikel led the Nigerian U-23 national team to finish in 3rd place at the 2016 Olympic Games in Beijing.
The former Flying Eagles star it will be recalled, was adjudged the second best player at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands behind Lionel Messi. The onetime Lyn Oslo starlet was at the center of a transfer battle between Manchester United and Chelsea before the West London side won the signature of the supremely talented player.
Mikel Obi in a recent comment he made on his podcast, insists that he was undeservedly not awarded the African Player of the Year award in 2013. Had Mikel and/or Enyeama won the prize, that would have increased Nigeria’s place on the podium after Rashidi Yekini) 1993), Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Nwankwo Kanu (1996 and 1999) and Victor Ikpeba (1997).
The question after Osimhen’s award is: when or who next?
Osimhen flew to Marrakesh via a private jet on Monday to pick up his award and the following day, was among the goals as Napoli defeated Braga in the UEFA Champions League.
Talking up not letting down the gauntlet.
Interestingly, Osimhen from media reports in Italy on Wednesday evening (13 December 2023) is set to sign a new contract with Napoli albeit with a release clause inserted in it. Osimhen at 24, is still young enough to scoop more awards.
Another in-form Nigerian star likely to step in and win the award in no distant future is Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Okoh Boniface. Boniface has already won awards in the German Bundesliga for Young Player categories and has begun his international career with Nigeria on a promising note.
The winners of this year’s Africa CAF Awards 2023
• Best Men’s Player (Victor Osimhen)
• Best Female Player (Asisat Oshoala)
• Best coach for Men (Walid Regragui)
• Best Women’s Manager (Desiree Ellis)
• Best goalkeeper (Yassine Bounou)
• Best Goalkeeper female (Chiamaka Nnadozi)
• Best goal (Mahmoud Kahraba)
• Best men’s national team (Morocco)
• Best Women’s National Team (Nigeria)
• Best Young Player (Lamine Kamara)
• Best Young Player female (Nesryne El Chad)
• Best Player in Africa (Percy Tau)
• The best player in Africa (Fatima Tagnant)
• Best men’s team (Al-Ahly)
• Best women’s team (Mamelodi Sundown)
