The African Footballer of the Year award, presented to the best African footballer every year, has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1992. Sadio Mane of Senegal won the 2022 edition, beating his then-Liverpool teammate and Egypt’s Mohammed Salah. This year, the 2023 edition of the award ceremony is scheduled for December 11, 2023, in Rabat Morocco. The men’s nomination list which initially included thirty players at first, has now been reduced to four. Victor Osimhen of the Super Eagles is the first of these four players, along with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool and Egypt, Yaccine Bosounu of Sevilla and Morocco, and Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City and Algeria.
After a blazing debut season with Arsenal, scoring 17 goals in 50 games, Nigeria’s Nwankwo Kanu won the award a second time in 1999. Twenty four years later, no other Nigerian has claimed this prize. But the country, through lanky striker Victor Osimhen, stands a chance to win the award this year. Osimhen had an impeccable 2022/23 season, as his 26 league goals in 32 games helped the Italian club Napoli FC win the Scudetto after a 33-year drought, but Osimhen has some hurdles in his path, most notable of which is his absence at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, as Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament. Being the most-rated tournament in football, the World Cup is often the decisive element in the awarding of individual laurels in any year it is hosted. It is why, despite Erling Haaland’s phenomenal season, Lionel Messi won the coveted Ballon d’Or for his impressive run for Argentina at the World Cup, and for also winning the tournament. To understand why Osimhen might fail to clinch the prize, it is important to understand how the African Footballer of the Year is chosen.
The Voting Process
For the CAF African Footballer of the Year, the voting process includes a panel comprising the CAF Technical Committee, media professionals, head coaches, and captains of member associations, as well as clubs participating in the group stage of the CAF’s interclub competitions.
Evaluation Criteria for Player Performance
To gauge the contenders for the African Footballer of the Year award in this article, several criteria will be considered. Chief among them are the players’ contributions to the Qatar 2022 World Cup as well as their performance in their respective clubs from September 2022 to June 2023.
Highlighting Exceptional Players in the 2022/2023 Season
Ten players stand out as top contenders on the nomination list, thanks to their outstanding performance throughout the 2022-2023 season. Leading the shortlisted players, is Victor Osimhen, with strong competition from Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt), Yassine Bounou (Sevilla and Morroco), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City and Algeria), Frank Anguissa ( Cameroon and Napoli), Sofyan Amtabat ( Morocco and Manchester United), Sadio Mane ( Senegal and Al Nassr), Achraf Hakimi ( Morocco and PSG), Youssef En- Nesyri ( Morroco and Sevila), and Vincent Aboubakar ( Cameroon and Besiktas). All ten players have made noteworthy contributions, excelling both at the club and international levels. However, among the last three mentioned, only one has the potential to effectively challenge Osimhen for the award. His name is Yassine Bounou, and here is why.
Player Performance Analysis: Bounou Vs Osimhen
Yassine Bounou’s remarkable contributions to Sevilla and his national team in the 22/23 season is nothing short of spectacular. Throughout the UEFA Europa League campaign, the goalkeeper had stellar performances, keeping PSV, Juventus, and Manchester United at bay, all the way to the finals, where he saved two penalties in the penalty shootout, earning Sevilla its 7th Europa League trophy. For Morocco, Bounou was spectacular between the sticks. He took center stage, saving spot-kicks from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets in the round-of-16 game against Spain. He kept four clean sheets, the most by any goalkeeper in the tournament, and he was the first African goalkeeper to reach three clean sheets at a World Cup.
On the other hand, Victor Osimhen had a cosmic season in Serie A, helping Napoli win their first scudetto in 33 years with 26 league goals in 32 appearances, topping the scoring charts, and earning the Golden Boot as the best forward player in Serie A. While representing the Super Eagles, despite scoring multiple goals in the qualification phase, he was unable to help Nigeria qualify for the World Cup, as they were defeated on their home turf in Abuja by arch-rivals Ghana’s Black Stars.
The World Cup is the ultimate stage for international glory, where players have the opportunity to etch their names in history and demonstrate their skills on a grand scale. It is not merely a showcase of individual talent but a platform for national pride and glory. In this context, Osimhen’s absence is a gap in his résumé, especially when compared to his contender Bounou who not only attended but also performed well on the monumental stage.
Although striker bias is a phenomenon that often influences football awards like this, where goalscorers tend to receive more recognition than other positions on the pitch. Osimhen’s goal-scoring prowess is undoubtedly impressive, however, the African Footballer of the Year award should consider the holistic contributions of players, both on and off the scoresheet. This is where Bounou’s case gains traction, his role as a goalkeeper showcases a different facet of football excellence.
Bounou’s performances in the 2022/2023 season is nothing short of spectacular. He displayed remarkable shot-stopping abilities, often single-handedly securing victory for his club and country with his heroics in penalty shootouts as stated above. Moreover, Yassine Bounou’s exceptional season for both Sevilla and Morocco presents a compelling case for his claim to the African Footballer of the Year award. The Moroccan goalkeeper has beena consistent and dependable presence between the posts, making crucial saves and ensuring his teams’ success. His heroics in Sevilla’s European campaigns and his standout performances for Morocco could not go unnoticed.
As the anticipation for the award ceremony builds, there is no doubt that both men e have been exceptional in their own rights and deserve to be nominated. Should Victor Osimhen not emerge victorious, social media platforms will undoubtedly be ablaze with discussions, and debates, as fans from different corners of Africa, especially Nigeria would voice their opinions on who truly deserves the prestigious title. Without a doubt, Nigerians are eager to see Osimhen win which would be the ultimate achievement for his outstanding 2022/2023 season. However, Yassine Bounou holds a creditable claim to the award.