Osimhen, four other favourites to win CAF African Player of the year award

Victor Osimhen

The Confederation of African Football last month announced that the prestigious African player of the year award ceremony will be held on 11 December 2023, in Morocco.

With last year’s winner, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah certainly out of the race, Oluyemi Ogunseyin ranks Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen and four other favourites that can win the 2023 CAF African Player of the year award…

Victor Osimhen (Nigeria and Napoli)

Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, is without doubt the number one favourite to win the CAF African Player of the year award following his exploits for both Napoli and Nigeria from September 2022 till June 2023.

Osimhen scored 26 goals and made four assists in 32 Serie A matches, propelling Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33-years and netted 31 times in 39 games in all competitions in the 2022/23 season.

He broke the scoring records of former AC Milan striker, George Weah and ex-Inter Milan forwards, Obafemi Martins and Samuel Eto’o in the Serie A, thereby becoming the first African to emerge top-scorer in a season in 125-years. He also bagged seven goals and two assists in the 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Osimhen also on Saturday netted his 61st career goal for Napoli after opening the 2023-24 Serie A season with a brace to help his club come from behind to beat Frosinone 3-1.

The 24-year-old striker struck twice after Matteo Politano’s equaliser as Napoli came back from an early Frosinone penalty to start their title defence on the right foot at the Stadio Benito Stirpe.

Napoli did take the lead when Giovanni Di Lorenzo robbed Riccardo Marchizza down the right and pulled back for Osimhen’s rocket off the underside of the crossbar from 14 yards.

The Partenopei added a