Osimhen, Orban battle Salah, others for 2023 CAF awards
Peseiro not listed among best coaches
Super Eagles and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, and Belgium-based hotshot, Gift Orban, are in the running to win prizes at the 2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards.
But Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, is not among coaches nominated for the awards.
CAF, yesterday, announced the nominees for the men’s prizes for the awards scheduled for Marrakesh, Morocco on December 11.
Osimhen is one of 30 players nominated for the biggest prize, the Men’s Player of the Year, while Orban is one of 10 players contesting for the Young Player of the Year (Men) award.
Osimhen has had a brilliant year for club and country and is a strong contender for the award. He will battle Egypt and Liverpool striker, Mohamed Salah.
According to the statement, “A panel of CAF technical experts, African football legends, and selected media representatives from a number of countries put together the preliminary list for the various categories, with the performance of the nominees between November 2022 and September 2023 serving as the period under consideration.
“30 players made the cut for the top prize; CAF African Player of the Year, whilst 20 players have been nominated for the CAF Interclub Player of the Year. Coach of the Year, CAF National Team of the Year and Club of the Year have 10 nominees each, just as CAF Young Player of the Year – for players under the age of 21.
“For the first time, CAF has introduced the CAF African Goalkeeper of the Year Category (Men and Women) in the prestigious event that seeks to reward and celebrate exceptional players, officials and administrators during the period under review.
“It will be the first time that shot stoppers will be acknowledged for their performances, further expanding the network of winners for the yearly event.10 players have been nominated for the novel award.”
CAF maintained that the ultimate winner of each category would be decided after votes from a voting panel consisting of the CAF technical committee, media professionals, head coaches and captains of member associations and clubs involved in the group stages of the interclub competitions.
It further added that the nominees for the women’s categories would be announced in due course.
At the last awards gala in July 2022 in Rabat, Morocco, Senegal striker, Sadio Mane, was crowned CAF African Player of the Year, while Super Falcons’ Asisat Oshoala was decorated as CAF African Women’s Player of the Year for a record fifth time.
