Super Falcons and Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala has won the fifth CAF Women’s Player of The Year Award.
The Nigerian star defeated Grace Chanda (Zambia/BIIK Kazygurt) and Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon/Inter Milan) to win her fifth award at a ceremony in Rabat, Morocco on Thursday.
Oshoala was the only Nigerian nominee at the 2022 CAF awards after Falcons’ coach Randy Waldrum, who was originally nominated for Coach of The Year, was dropped from the final shortlist list along with Monday Gift, and Super Eagles duo Moses Simon and Akinkunmi Amoo.
The body governing football in Africa, CAF named Bayern Munich’s player, Sadio Mane as the winner of the Men’s player of the Year Award.
The midfielder beat his former teammate at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah and his fellow countryman who plays for Chelsea Football Club, Edouard Mendy to win the award. The Senegalese was the last player to win the award when it was organised in 2019.
Mane was crowned the best player in Africa following his excellent performance for the Terenga Lions of Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations which was hosted in Cameroon. The 28-year-old scored the winning penalty that won his country the trophy, he also played a key part in helping Senegal qualify for the FIFA World Cup which will be hosted in Qatar later this year ( November / December 2022).
The midfielder was also instrumental for Liverpool in the just concluded football season ( 2021/22). The Reds won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup at the expense of Chelsea Football Club. However, they lost the Premier League and UEFA Champions League to Manchester City and Real Madrid respectively.
Oshoala had equaled countrywoman Perpetua Nkwocha’s fourth CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award at the 2019 Awards Gala, but today she became the sole record holder for the most award wins, thus stamping her authority on the continent.
