Super Eagles of Nigeria and Napoli of Italy lethal striker, Victor Osimhen has made the cut for the last twelve (12) players shortlisted for the 2023 Best FIFA Football Award.
However, his fellow compatriot, Asisat Oshoala, who is the reigning Africa Women’s Footballer of the Year, could not make the list for the last 16 players in the women’s category.
Osimhen is the only African player to make it this far. He was listed alongside eleven (11) other top footballers for their outstanding performances for both club and country, in the year under review.
The 24 years old helped Napoli win their first Italian Serie A title after a 33-year wait with 26 league goals and 31 goals scored across all competitions, which ensured Napoli reached the Champions League quarter-final last season.
The Serie A highest goalscorer awardee finished the African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, as the highest goal scorer with ten (10) goals for the Super Eagles and helping Nigeria to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON in Cote D’Ivoire.
The final 12 nominees for the Best FIFA Men’s Player Award (2023) are:
1. Julian Alvarez Man City & Argentina
2. Marcelo Brozovic – Al Nassr and Croatia
3. Kevin De Bruyne – Man City & Belgium
4. Ilkay Gundogan – Barcelona & Germany
5. Erling Braut Haaland – Man City & Norway
6. Rodrigo Hernández Cascante – Man City & Spain
7. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – SSC Napoli & Georgia
8. Kylian Mbappe – PSG & France
9. Andres Lionel Messi – Inter Miami
10. Victor Osimhen SSC Napoli & Nigeria
11. Declan Rice – Arsenal & England
12. Bernardo Silva – Man City & Portugal
The final 16 nominees for the Best FIFA Women’s Player Award (2023) are:
1. Aitana Bonmati
2. Linda Caicedo
3. Rachel Daly
4. Kadidiatou Diani
5. Caitlin Foord
6. Mary Fowler
7. Alex Greenwood
8. Jennifer Hermoso
9. Lindsey Horan
10. Amanda Ilestedt
11. Lauren James
12. Sam Kerr
13. Mapi Leon
14. Hinata Miyazawa
15. Salma Paralluelo
16. Keira Walsh
The final three nominees in each category will be announced at a later date while the Best FIFA Football Awards (2023) will be presented at a ceremony in Paris on February 27, 2024.
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