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As the days draw close to December 11, 2023,when the next CAF African footballer of the year award ceremony will take place in Morocco, it is becoming even clearer that no one else but Victor Osimhen will win the next award for the men's category.
Nominated for FIFA Best and Ballon d'Or 2023 | Won the 2022-23 Italian Serie A | 2022-23 Serie A top scorer | Named in the 2022-23 Serie A Team of the Season | 2022 - 2023 Top Scorer Afcon qualifier
Victor Osimhen recently finished as the top scorer in Afcon qualifiers scoring 10 goals. The Nigerian striker netted 26 goals to become the first player from Africa to win the golden boot in the Italian topflight. The only African to make the top 15 nominees for FIFA Best Award and top 20 nominees for Ballon d'Or award.
Some names like cameroon's Zambo Anguissa, Ghana's Mohammed Kudus, Egypt's Mohamed Salah and Morocco's Archif Hakimi, have propped up too, but none of them have done enough to contend the award with Osimhen
Former Togo and Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has explained why he believes Victor Osimhen and no other should get the 2023 African Player of the Year award.
Osimhen played a key role for Napoli who won their first league title since 1990. His impressive performance last season has placed him ahead of other contestants for the award, yet he is still waxing stronger, recently stand as the top scorer in the on going Afcon qualifiers.
Speaking in a video interview posted on the Twitter handle of BBC Sport reporter Mimi Fawaz, Adebayor -winner of the award in 2008 – said Osimhen’s performance last season gives him the advantage.
“It’s very simple, we have seen the season and for me if you ask me who deserve the 2023 African Player of the Year award its Osimhen, because of what he has done with Napoli, scoring in all the biggest games in Italy and also winning the Scudetto.
“He has done quite well, who is there (to challenge Osimhen) Sadio Mane was injured and had a difficult season, Mohamed Salah had one of his worst season in his career, there’s the guy from Cameroon Zambo Anguissa but the star player in Napoli is Osimhen.
“If you ask me to vote and I am given 10 votes, I will give 12 to Osimhen. It is incontrovertible, Osimhen will be 2023 African player of the year, Mark it!"
The current winner of the award in 2022 was Sadio Mane.
The last time a Nigerian won the award was Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
