CAF Awards 2022: Oshoala, Mane Retain African Player Awards In Rabat

Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala on Thursday night retained her ‘crown’ as she won her record 5th Africa Women’s Footballer of the Year Award in Rabat, Morocco reports Prime Business Africa.

Former Liverpool’s star forward Sadio Mane as mostly anticipated scooped the best player award in the men’s category.

Oshoala was one of three nominees for the prize which included Cameroonian captain Ajara Nchout Njoya and newcomer Grace Chanda of Zambia to become the queen of Africa football for the 5th time.

The FC Barcelona Femini attacker who only played one game in the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco becomes the first woman player to win the coveted award a record 5th time.

Oshoala was initially tied to 4th with the legendary Perpetua Nkwocha who herself was in Morocco and helped in presenting an award along with another Nigeria legend and icon of the Women’s game Mercy Akide-Udoh.

Oshoala won the Golden Boot of the Primera División Femenina in Spain deapite a 2021/2022 season blighted by injuries.

In other awards, Senegalese superstar and Bayern Munich new signing, Sadio Mane retained his Africa Footballer of the Year crown which he first won in January 2020.

Mane defeated his national teammate, Edouard Mendy as well as former holder, Mohammed Salah to win the gong.

2022 CAF Award Winners

CAF Men’s Player of the Year: Sadio Mane

CAF Women’s Player of the Year: Asisat Oshoala

CAF Goal of the Year: Pape Ousmane Sakho

Men’s Club of the Year: Wydad Casablanca

Women’s Club of the Year: Mamelodi Sundowns

Men’s Interclub Player of the Year: Mohamed El Shennawy

Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Evelyn Badu

Women’s Young Player of the Year: Evelyn Badu

National Team of the Year: Senegal’s Teranga Lions

Men’s Coach of the Year: Aliou Cisse

Women’s Coach of the Year: Desire Ellis

Men’s Young Player of the Year: Pape Matar Sarr

Izuchukwu Okosi

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. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.