The following year’s best African footballer: Victor Osimhen?

Consistent winners of the CAF African Footballer of the Year Award Mohamed Salah of Egypt, Sadio Mané of Senegal, and Riyad Mahrez of Algeria have not had the best of seasons, and Nigerian international and Napoli of Italy striker Victor Osimhem is poised to end their dominance. No one would want to wager against the top scorer in Serie A winning the CAF trophy, which was last won by a Nigerian in 1999, given his current form.

Without an African Nations Cup or World Cup, Victor Osimhen has a better chance than ever of winning the African Player of the Year award in 2023.
Victor Ikpeba, who was then playing for AS Monaco, was named the best player in 1997.

Ikpeba has given the 24-year-old advice to maintain his form at Napoli in order to stay ahead after the AFCON tournament that was scheduled to take place this year was postponed until 2024.
Victor Osimhen has performed admirably, has been outstanding, and is in top form. The fact that he managed to score 20 goals in all competitions just in February is evidence of his talent. As the saying goes, “Time will tell; Victor Osimhen needs to keep his head down and concentrate on winning the Serie A and becoming the league’s leading scorer.”

Osimhen has already won individual awards and is presently the best African player, so the Nations Cup and World Cup shouldn’t ha

ve much of an impact.

Remember that there won’t be an AFCON this year, which strengthens Osimhen’s argument, particularly if Napoli wins the Serie A. “So, he just needs to stay focused and keep doing what he’s doing because he has a huge chance to win the award,” I said after receiving the African POTY award in 1997 because there was no AFCON at the time.
After scoring 18 goals in 19 league games for the Parthenopeans, the Nigerian international has recently been called one of Africa’s best attackers.
The Super Eagles striker has recently drawn attention for his performance after collecting numerous awards and scoring a significant number of goals.

Jose Mourinho, the former Chelsea manager and former manager of the 24-year-Ivorian old’s Idol, has compared the player to Didier Drogba. The current AS Roma manager told Soccernet.ng after Napoli’s 2-1 victory over The She-Wolf that the Nigerian is “on the same level” as the Ivorian legend.
In a video that was shared on the club’s social media page, Osimhen admitted that he enjoys the way his idol plays and believes he is the best. This, however, may be the result of Osimhen imitating his idol for years.
I paid close attention to how Drogba played. He said, “I think he’s one of the best attackers ever.

Mutiu Adepoju, a former Real Sociedad midfielder, believes Victor Osimhen of Napoli will defeat all other contenders for this year’s Africa Player of the Year award.

Since 2016, the trio has alternated the top spots, and since they are still competing at the highest level, it will take something, or someone, special, to end their monopoly.
But Victor Osimhen, who seems unstoppable, is the one who has the ability to overthrow the status quo and lead to a podium finish.
With 18 goals from 19 games, at least three more than his closest rival, the Napoli forward has been by far the best striker in the Italian Serie A.

After winning the best goal award the same month, the former Lille player was named the league’s best player for January.
The CAF Africa Footballer of the Year award, however, is not just given to players who score goals. Osimhen, too

However, according to former Nigerian international Mutiu Adepoju, Osimhen already deserves the prize more than the other candidates.
Nobody has reached his level yet, and in my opinion, Adepoju still has time to accomplish more, he told Brila FM.

“If you had to choose Africa’s best player right now, he would win with ease.

Since Nwankwo Kanu was named the best athlete on the continent in 1999, no Nigerian has won the prestigious award.
Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike, Victor Ikpeba, and Nwankwo Kanu, four Nigerian players, took home five of the first eight Player of the Year honors given out by CAF since the award’s inception in 1992. However, since Kanu last won the award in 1999, no Nigerian has attempted to claim it.

Osimhen’s outstanding performance in Italy also raises the possibility that Erling Haaland of Manchester City and Kylian Mbappé of Paris Saint-Germain aren’t the only candidates to succeed Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as enduring Ballon d’Or winners.

Messi and Ronaldo have combined to win 11 of the last 14 Ballon d’Or awards, but as they get older, they are less likely to be considered.
The two young players already regarded as world-class are Norwegian forward Erling Haaland and French forward Kylian Mbappe.
Marcus Rashford of Manchester United and Pedri of Barcelona may have just entered the discussion of potential award winners.
However, Osimhen’s outstanding performances in the Italian top division this season suggest that a new superstar has emerged.