Ex-AFCON winner and former West Brom defender back Osimhen to win African POTY award

Former Super Eagles stars, Felix Owolabi and Ifeanyi Udeze are confident that Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen stands a good chance of winning the 2023 African Footballer of The Year award. 

The former Nigerian internationals spoke on Brila FM, Lagos on Thursday on the chances of the former youth international to become the next Nigerian superstar after Nwankwo Kanu in 1999 to be crowned Africa's best.

Owolabi, who was unarguably one of Africa's best midfielders of his era and was part of the Green Eagles side that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, the first of three triumphs by Nigeria at the tournament, said: "Osimhen is clearly one of the best on the African continent at the moment and deserves to be in contention for the award. 

"Osimhen has been in spectacular form. I have no doubt that he would be among the contestants (nominees) for the award," Owolabi told Brila FM. 

Former Super Eagles and West Brom  left-back, Ifeanyi Udeze, agreed with Owolabi but names those who would most likely be contenders for the prize with the striker who has scored 16 Serie A goals this season. 

"Definitely, I also believe that Osimhen should be among the top contenders for the award. 

"But we should also remember that Moroccan players did very well with their team in Qatar and they became the first African team to reach the semifinals of the World Cup. 

"So, I expect some of their players to also be in the running. 

Players like Hakim Ziyech and Amrabat should also be in the same conversation as well," Udeze reiterated. 

Aside Kanu who won the African Player award twice in 1996 and 1999, other Nigerian players to have been awarded the CAF prize include Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amunike (1994), and Victor Ikpeba (1997).

Izuchukwu Michael
 

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