SUPER Eagles’ former Striker, Odion Ighalo, is the only Nigerian player in the latest CAF 10-man shortlists for the African Footballer of the Year Awards. This means that Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi and Lille’s Victor Osimhen are no more in the running for the prize.
Barcelona’s Asisat Oshoala is among five players competing for the Women’s version of the award and she has to see off the challenge of Ajara Nchout (Cameroun & Valerenga), Gabrielle Onguene (Cameroun & CSKA Moscow), Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning) and Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC).
Osimhen will take solace in the fact that he is still in contention for the Youth Player of the Year along with four other candidates namely Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze, Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund), Krépin Diatta (Senegal & Club Brugge) and Moussa Djenepo (Mali & Southampton).
The updated Men’s Coach of the Year is without Super Eagles gaffer Gernot Rohr, while ex-Super Falcons boss Thomas Dennerby will battle four other coaches for the Women’s Coach of the Year.
The Super Eagles and Super Eagles remain in contention for the Men’s National Team of the Year and Women’s National Team of the Year respectively.
The nominees for the African Player of the Year are André Onana (Cameroon & Ajax), Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax) Ismail Bennacer (Algeria & AC Milan), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool), Odion Ighalo (Nigeria & Shanghai Shenhua), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City), Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool) and Youcef Belaili (Algeria & Ahli Jeddah).
Guardian