Osimhen: My Dream of Winning Africa’s Best Player Award Real Now

“I think now I have a huge opportunity to actualise this dream”

Victor Osimhen’s eight years dream of being named Africa’s best player appears about to become reality following his spectacular season for both club and country.

The gangling 24-year-old Nigeria and Napoli of Italy forward is one of the four top players from the continent nominated for African Best Player of the Year at the CAF Awards ceremony scheduled to hold in Rabat, Morocco, on December 11.

The others include; Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City/Algeria) and Yassine Bounou (Sevilla/Morocco).

Osimhen who finished as top scorer in the qualifying tournament for the 2023 AFCON with 10 goals has been nominated for the prestigious Ballon D’or. Last season, he helped Napoli back to the top of Italian topflight, winning the Scudetto after 33 years they did last with the Late Diego Maradona. He ended the season scoring 26 goals to become the Goal King in the Italian Serie A.

Speaking yesterday, to Italian media, Osimhen said: “It (would) mean a lot, a whole lot to me (to win the CAF award),” he said.

“I remember in 2015, when I won the (CAF) Youth Player of Year (Award), you know I saw the winner (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang) walk up to the podium to receive it (best player award).

“Since then, for me, it became a dream to try to be there and win something as prestigious as that.

“I think now I have a huge opportunity to actualise this dream. I’m really looking forward to it, and hopefully, it comes home.”

The performance of the Super Eagles top scorer in November when Nigeria take on Lesotho to open her 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign is likely to ultimately determine if he is going to be the ultimate winner of the title  last won for the country by Nwankwo Kanu in 1999