Victor Osimhen beats Mo Salah to African Footballer of the Year award

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Victor Osimhen beats Mohamed Salah to African Footballer of the Year award… as Chelsea target becomes first Nigerian since 1999 to claim the prize after firing Napoli to the Serie A title with 26 goals

  • Victor Osimhen has won the crown after a year of blistering form for Napoli 
  • He helped the club reach the Champions League quarter-finals and win Serie A
  • Chelsea are WRETCHED without the ball and you haven’t got a clue what team will turn up every week – Listen to It’s All Kicking Off

Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen has been named African Footballer of the Year after beating Mohamed Salah to the award at a ceremony in Marrakech on Monday, with compatriot Asisat Oshoala winning the top prize in the women’s category.

Osimhen, 24, scored 26 goals as he helped Napoli to a surprise triumph in Serie A last season and was the leading marksman in Italy’s top division.

Egypt’s Liverpool forward Salah and Morocco’s Paris St Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi were the other two final nominees but Osimhen claimed the prize to become the first Nigerian winner since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.

‘It is a dream come true,’ said Osimhen. 

‘I have to thank everybody who has helped me on this journey and all Africans who have helped to put me on the map despite my faults.’

Victor Osimhen has been crowned African Footballer of the Year after his goals boosted Napoli to the Serie A title

Two-time winner Mo Salah reached the final but was unable to claim the prize for a third time

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At the recent Ballon d’Or ceremony, Osimhen became the first Nigerian player in history to be named in the top ten with an eighth-placed finish.  

Morocco won National Team of the Year in the men’s category after their thrilling run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, while their manager Walid Regragui won Coach of the Year.

Nigeria’s Barcelona forward Oshoala was the women’s African Footballer of the Year for a record sixth time, having battled injury to help her side to the round of 16 at the World Cup in Australia & New Zealand where they took England to penalties.

Nigeria took home the trophy for National Team of the Year, but South Africa’s Desiree Ellis won women’s Coach of the Year for the fourth time in succession.

Asisat Oshoala was named the women’s Afrcain Footballer of the Year for a record sixth time

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