Calvin Bassey, Ademola Lookman and Ola Aina during the Super Eagles of Nigeria training in preparation for the match against Cheetahs of Benin Republic [Photo credit/Imago]
Ademola Lookman shone brightly at the CAF Awards last year, but he is set to be overthrown...
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is the only Nigerian player nominated for the annual CAF Men’s Player of The Year Awards, Soccernet.ng reports.
Last year, Nigerian attacker Ademola Lookman won the award after his impressive campaign at Atalanta that saw him claim the Europa League and secure a 4th-place finish for his club in the Serie A.
This year, the explosive 28 winger has been very good, but he has not achieved much － individually and for his teams.
That has reflected in the latest CAF Awards nominations, as he has been left out of the ten-man shortlist.
However, there is a place for his Nigerian teammate, Osimhen. The big Super Eagles striker has had a big year at Galatasaray. Last season, he contributed 37 goals and eight assists to lead the Cimbom to the domestic double.
The other nominees are Frank Anguissa, Fiston Mayele, Mohamed Salah, Denis Bouanga, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, Oussama Lamliouli, Ilman Ndiaye, and Pape Matar Sarr.
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CAF Awards: Will Victor Osimhen Be Named The Best In Africa Again?
Victor Osimhen was crowned the best player in Africa two years ago, the same year he led Napoli to the Serie A title.
But this year, it is highly unlikely that he will win the award. Although he won the Turkish domestic double at Galatasaray, there are other players on the shortlist who have achieved more this year.
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Achraf Hakimi played a key role in PSG’s treble-winning campaign last season. He also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup.
There’s also Mohamed Salah, who had an explosive year at Liverpool with 34 goals and 25 assists in 52 games. He also won the English Premier League.
These two are the frontrunner for the CAF awards, as they achieved big successes and it would be really tough for Osimhen to get the award ahead of them.