It was a night of double honour for Nigeria as the duo of Victor Osimhen and Assisat Oshoala were crowned the 2023 African Footballer of the Year at the Confederation of African Football (Caf) awards ceremony in Marrakesh.
In the male category, the Napoli player beat Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi to the prestigious award – the first time a Nigerian has picked up the title since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
In the female category, Asisat Oshoala retained the women’s award – the sixth time the Barcelona Femeni star has won the accolade.
The winners are voted for by a panel consisting of Caf’s technical committee plus African media professionals, head coaches and captains. Clubs involved in the group stages of Caf’s continental competitions also have a say.
Napoli’s Osimhen, 24, was tipped to pick up the prestigious Caf award for the first time in his career after a stellar 2022-23 season.
He scored 26 times in 32 appearances, including the decisive goal that sealed the Scudetto in May and won Napoli their first Serie A title in 33 years.
The former Wolfsburg and Lille striker was also named the Italian Footballers’ Association Player of the Year earlier this month after an outstanding season.
Lagos-born Osimhen scored five goals in four Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification matches as his country reached next year’s finals.
He also became the first Nigerian to finish in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or vote with an eighth-placed finish and was made a Member of the Federal Republic in his homeland.
Barcelona star Asisat Oshoala, 29, made it a night to remember for Nigeria, winning the Women’s Player of the Year title for a record-extending sixth time.
Oshoala – who went to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this year – retains the trophy she won last year.
She beat off competition from South Africa and Racing Louisville’s Thembi Kgatlana and Zambia and Shanghai Sengli’s Barbra Banda.
