Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen has once again been shortlisted for the CAF African Player of the Year Award, setting up a thrilling three-way battle with Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi.
Osimhen, who powered Galatasaray to another Champions League qualification run and impressed with Nigeria’s World Cup playoff heroics, faces stiff competition from Salah, whose stellar form at Liverpool keeps him in the global spotlight, and Hakimi, who continues to shine for PSG and Morocco.
Osimhen and other award nominees of African descent were revealed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) via their official X handle on Wednesday.
Noteworthy players who made the shortlist include Frank Anguissa of Cameroon and Serhou Guirassy of Guinea, as well as standouts from Borussia Dortmund and Napoli.
Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC and Gabon, Oussama Lamlioui of Morocco and RS Berkane, Fiston Mayele of the DR Congo and Pyramids of Egypt, Iliman Ndiaye of Senegal and Everton, and Pape Matar Sarr, a midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur and Senegal, are all on the shortlist.
Victor Osimhen enters as the defending champion and remains a strong favourite thanks to his consistency, leadership, and decisive goals for both club and country. His influence in Napoli’s attack and Nigeria’s World Cup playoff success strengthens his case.
Mohamed Salah, ever-reliable and still Liverpool’s talisman, boasts the best individual stats—goals, assists, and match-winning moments—but Liverpool’s inconsistent season could slightly hurt his chances.
Meanwhile, Achraf Hakimi continues to redefine the modern full-back role, mixing defensive intelligence with attacking flair for both PSG and Morocco, especially after leading the Atlas Lions to another impressive international campaign.
