Former Super Eagles Striker Ikpeba Reveals His Choice For 2019 African Player Of The Year

Published: November 26, 2019

Former African Footballer of the Year Victor Nosa Ikpeba on Monday evening tipped Liverpool and Senegal striker Sadio Mane as the likely winner of the 2019 CAF African Footballer of The Year award.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will on 7 January 2020 in Cairo, Egypt hold the prestigious CAF awards ceremony and Ikpeba who was the continent's best player in 1997 spoke on his choices on Supersport's magazine programme Monday Night Football.

"It will be difficult for the Nigerians to win it. The only Nigerian player with some chance will be Odion Ighalo who was the top scorer at the Africa Cup of Nations.

"Maybe when you come to the CAF Best XI, Wilfred Ndidi has a chance to make it. Ighalo definitely has a chance to be part of the XI but its looking good for Mane.

''People might argue that he didn't win the Africa Cup of Nations but he helped Senegal reach the final and Liverpool to win the UEFA Champions League back in June," Ikpeba stressed.

Speaking on the two defeats of Nigeria's Beach Soccer national team from the ongoing FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, Ikpeba reiterated the need to have a viable beach soccer league in the country.

"Its not enough, not ideal to have players who play regular football to go and represent Nigeria at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup," Ikpeba said on Supersport.

The Super Sand Eagles were thrashed 10-1 by Portugal and edged 6-5 by Oman to render their last Group D game against Brazil simply a dead rubber as they cannot qualify from the group.

"The coach, Adamu Ejor, could have calmed down and not come out in the media and say his team was ready to take on the world. We don't have a beach soccer league and that is the truth of the matter," the onetime Borussia Dortmund, AS Monaco and Real Betis forward stated.

"We have the beaches, we have the sea but I don't see sponsors or that energy by people who come around to say let's set up s beach soccer league - even if it's only in Lagos, its enough," Ikpeba concluded.

The Super Sand Eagles will face Brazil in their last group game late Tuesday night in Nigeria.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Photo Credit : liverpoolfc.com