Victor Osimhen from Nigeria is the lone Nigerian player among the 10 nominees for the 2023 Player of the Year award. The list includes four Moroccans, two Cameroonians, and former winners Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, and Riyad Mahrez.
Osimhen aims to emulate Nwankwo Kanu, the last Nigerian, to secure the award in 1999. Placing eighth in the Ballon d’Or, Osimhen is considered a strong contender for the African version, given his status as the highest-ranked African on the list.
However, he faces competition from four Moroccans: Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, Yassine Bounou, and Youssef En-Nesyri. These players played crucial roles in Morocco’s historic achievement as the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final.
