Napoli striker Victor Osimhen was voted African Footballer of the Year on Monday evening in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Nigerian international kept Moroccan right back Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain) and Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) behind him.
The 24-year-old Osimhen is the first Nigerian on the honors list since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999. Earlier this month, Osimhen was voted the best player of last season in Serie A by the Italian players’ union. He was a determining factor in the historic title of Napoli.
Salah was the only nominee to have previously won African Footballer of the Year, in 2017 and 2018. Last year he was second, when the award went to Sadio Mané for the second time. The Senegalese previously won in 2019. There was no awards ceremony in 2020 and 2021 due to the corona pandemic.
Nigerian attacker Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona) was voted player of the year. Moroccan goalkeeper and World Cup hero Yassine Bounou became goalkeeper of the year, Moroccan national coach Walid Regragui secured last year’s fourth place in Qatar with the award for best coach. The team of the year was Morocco.
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