Williams, however, acknowledged Osimhen’s quality, despite the striker missing out on the African Player of the Year list announced by CAF.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Nigeria Football Association (NFA) chairman Kojo Williams has argued that the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to snub Nigerian players when compiling the men’s and women’s African Player of the Year nomination lists is justifiable.
He made this known recently while appearing as a guest on the latest episode of ThePlayzone podcast.
CAF recently unveiled a 10-man shortlist for the Men’s African Player of the Year award, featuring some of the continent’s standout performers, including Yoane Wissa, Ismael Saibari, Achraf Hakimi, Ismaïla Sarr and Amad Diallo.
Although Nigeria’s Flamingos recently won the U-17 Women’s World Cup, players from the West African giants were conspicuously missing from the women’s list.
The Super Eagles endured a difficult period after failing to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, before settling for third place at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations.
Similarly, the Super Falcons missed out on FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification and failed to secure a top-three finish at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Reacting, Williams attributed the absence of Nigerian footballers from the men’s and women’s African Player of the Year nomination lists to the country’s disappointing performances over the past year.
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He maintained that CAF should not be held responsible for leaving Nigerian players out, insisting that the country’s recent achievements did not justify their inclusion.
While noting that the development was hardly surprising, the former Nigerian football administrator pointed to the national teams’ results as the major reason behind the snub.
Speaking during the interview, Williams said: “It wouldn’t be fair for me to say I’m surprised. It all comes down to our performances and what we’ve achieved over the past year.
“So, if we’re not doing the right things, of course they won’t select us. Did we qualify for the World Cup? We didn’t win the AFCON. You can’t fault that.”
Addressing the omission of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, who enjoyed an impressive campaign for club and country, Williams suggested that factors beyond individual performances could sometimes influence the outcome of the African Player of the Year selection.
He said: “You know, sometimes politics comes into it. Victor did well in Europe, but there were other players from teams such as PSG, and perhaps the league he plays in also matters.
“Yes, he won African Footballer of the Year while playing for Napoli. He’s a great player.”
Williams nevertheless acknowledged Osimhen’s quality, while maintaining that the broader circumstances surrounding the nominations should be considered when assessing Nigeria’s absence.
