Osimhen battles Salah, Hakimi in 2023 CAF Awards

Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, has been included in the three-man shortlist for the 2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Player of the Year award.

Osimhen, who plays for Serie A club, Napoli, will battle Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and AchrafHakimi of Morocco for the award.

This was disclosed in the final three-man shortlist for the award unveiled by CAF on its X (former­ly Twitter) handle on yesterday, December 7.

In the women’s Player of the Year category, Super Falcons and Barcelona striker, AsisatOshoala, will battle South Africa’s Them­biKgatlana and Barbara Banda of Zambia.

Deborah Abiodun is in the final three for the Young Player of the Year for women, while Chia­makaNnadozie will contest for the best goalkeeper award for women.

The Awards Gala will be held at the Palais des Congres, Moven­pick in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday, December 11.

See the full list of nominees below:

Player of the Year (Men)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt,

Liverpool); Achraf Hakimi (Mo­rocco, Paris Saint-Germain); Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Napoli).

Player of the Year (Women)

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria, Bar­celona); Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa, Racing Louisville); Barbara Banda (Zambia, Shanghai Shengli)

Interclub Player of the Year (Men)

Fiston Mayele (DR Congo, Pyr­amids); Peter Shalulile (Namibia, Mamelodi Sundowns); Percy Tau (South Africa, Al Ahly)’

Interclub Player of the Year (Women)

Refilwe Tholakele (Botswana, Mamelodi Sundowns)

Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco, AS FAR); LebohangRamalepe (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns).

Coach of the Year (Men)

Abdelhak Benchika (Algeria, Simba SC); Walid Regragui (Moroc­co); AliouCisse (Senegal)’

Coach of the Year (Women)

Reynald Pedros (Morocco);

Desiree Ellis (South Africa);

Jerry Tshabalala (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)

Goalkeeper of the Year (Men)

Andre Onana (Cameroon, Manchester United); Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt, Al Ahly); Yassine­Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal).

Goalkeeper of the Year (Women)

Khadija Er-Rmichi (Morocco, AS FAR); ChiamakaNnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC); AndileDlamini (South Africa, MamelodiSundowns)

Young Player of the Year (Men)

AbdessamadEzzalzouli (Mo­rocco, Real Betis); LamineCamara (Senegal, Metz); Amara Diouf (Sen­egal, Metz).

Young Player of the Year (Women)

Comfort Yeboah (Ghana, Ampem Darkoa); Nesryne El Chad (Morocco, Lille); Deborah Abiodun (Nigeria, Pittsburgh Panthers)

National Team of the Year (Men)

Gambia

Morocco

Senegal

National Team of the Year (Women)

Morocco

Nigeria

South Africa

Club of the Year (Men)

Al Ahly (Egypt)

Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)

MamelodiSundowns (South Africa)

Club of the Year (Women)

AS FAR (Morocco)

Sporting Casablanca (Morocco)

MamelodiSundowns (South Africa)-Thestar