Izuchukwu Okosi
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen on Monday afternoon arrived Marrakesh, Morocco to attend the 2023 African Footballer of the Year Award ceremony via a private jet from Naples, Italy.
The Nigerian international made the cut as one of the three finalists for the prestigious award.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelFormer Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal, West Bron and Portsmouth forward Nwankwo Kanu was the last Nigerian to win the gong in 1999 – which he also scooped in 1996.
Interestingly, Kanu was ranked 11th in the Ballon D’Or Awards ceremony in 1996 which Osimhen bettered in the current edition when he was adjudged the 8th best player on the planet.
By his arrival, Italian publication, Repubblica reports that Osimhen missed his team’s Monday morning training session at Castel Volturno ahead of the UEFA Champions League game against Braga.
Nigerians are rooting for the Napoli striker, last year’s top scorer in Serie A with 29 League goals to win the Player of the Year award ahead Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi.
The ceremony begins at 7pm Nigerian time at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, Marrakech.
Also in the running for awards in Monday evening’s awards from the, Nigerian side are Asisat Oshoala (African Footballer of The Year – women), Chiamaka Nnadozie (Goalkeeper of the Year – women), and Deborah Abiodun (Young Player of the Year – women).
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
