As the 2023 CAF Player of the Year ceremony approaches, all eyes are on Victor Osimhen as the Super Eagles and Napoli star could be the favorite to win the coveted title.
Despite stiff competition from PSG’s Achraf Hakimi and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Osimhen’s excellent performances throughout the year make a convincing case for him to be named Africa’s best player. I am.
8 reasons why he is the likely winner of Africa’s top individual award:
1. Napoli’s unlikely Serie A triumph
Osimhen played a key role in Napoli’s historic Serie A title win, ending a 33-year drought.
Unlike Hakimi, who achieved an expected Ligue 1 victory with PSG, Osimhen stands out for his influence in Napoli’s unexpected victories over Italian giants such as Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
2. Goal-scoring prowess
Napoli needed a consistent goalscorer to win the Scudetto against perennial favorites such as Inter Milan and AC Milan, and Osimhen rose to the challenge, scoring 26 goals in 32 games.
His ability to score decisive goals underlines his importance for Napoli.
Despite the critics who accused him of failing to score against big teams, Osimhen scored spectacular winning goals against AS Roma and Fiorentina, scored the opening goal against Atalanta and scored twice against Juventus. When he raised his middle finger.
3. Champions League milestone
Osimchen not only swept Napoli out of the Champions League group stage, but also led them to a historic quarter-final appearance.
The Nigerian striker scored five goals in six games and took the Neapolitans to unprecedented heights in Europe’s top competition.
This success, unparalleled even in the era of Diego Maradona, underlines Osimhen’s influence on the European stage.
4. Among the global elite
Osimhen is considered one of the five best strikers in the world and is Italy’s most valuable player with an estimated value of 120 million euros.
This exceeds the value of Nigerian, African and Neapolitan players and puts him in the elite category alongside Mbappé, Kane and Haaland.
5. Serie A goal-scoring record
Osimhen made Serie A history by becoming the league’s top scorer among African players, surpassing legends such as Samuel Eto’o and George Weah.
This remarkable performance cemented his status as a prolific goalscorer.
6. Awards galore in 2023
Osimhen has already won numerous awards in 2023, including Serie A Best Striker, Capocannoniere and Serie A Goal of the Month for January.
He was named in the Serie A Team of the Season and won the Ghana Football Awards for Best African Player of the Year, Serie A Player of the Year and Serie A Team of the Year.
These awards reflect his consistent excellence throughout the years.
7. Excellence on African soil
Osimhen’s talent transcends European competition as he excelled for Nigeria and became the continent’s top scorer in the 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Napoli player scored 10 goals in total, five more than his nearest rival Sadio Mane and eight more than Salah.
His excellence also earned him the distinction of Order of the Federal Republic, one of Nigeria’s highest honors.
8. Ballon d’Or recognition
In a historic moment, Osimhen became the first Nigerian to finish in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or, finishing in 8th place.
This performance is better than Salah (11th) and Hakimi (outside the top 30) and underlines Osimhen’s global profile and influence.
In summary, Victor Osimhen’s impressive achievements in 2023 make a convincing case for him to be named the 2023 CAF Player of the Year.
From leading Napoli to Serie A glory, to making Champions League and Ballon d’Or history, Osimhen’s influence transcends boundaries and cements his claim as a worthy recipient of this prestigious award. .
p>
