Victor Osimhen’s bid for a second consecutive CAF Player of the Year honour has been halted—this time not by competition, but by injury.
The Super Eagles star, who was expected in Rabat for tonight’s ceremony, has instead been summoned to Istanbul, where Galatasaray’s medical team will conduct an MRI scan on the hamstring problem he suffered during Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying run.
Osimhen, a 2023 winner and once again among the final three nominees alongside Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, was forced off during Nigeria’s defeat to DR Congo in Sunday’s African play-off final. He lasted only 45 minutes before officials decided the suspected hamstring strain was too risky to ignore.
The setback came just days after the striker produced one of his finest performances in national colours—an extra-time brace against Gabon that propelled Nigeria into the final and pushed his international goal tally to 31.
Okoronkwo Reacts After Missing Out on CAF Women’s POY Final Shortlist
While Osimhen’s night is overshadowed by injury, another Nigerian star is dealing with a different kind of disappointment.
Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo has expressed her frustration after failing to make the final shortlist for the 2025 CAF Women’s Player of the Year award, despite a remarkable year for both club and country.
Okoronkwo had been widely considered a frontrunner after appearing in the initial 10-player shortlist. But when CAF announced the final trio—Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade, Morocco’s Ghizlaine Chebbak, and Sanaâ Mssoudy—her name was conspicuously absent.
Taking to Instagram, she delivered a composed but pointed message: “CAF’s decision is noted, but my focus stays on the pitch where recognition is earned, not awarded. Awards don’t always reflect reality, but the pitch never lies.”
A Season of Influence That Stats Alone Don’t Capture
Okoronkwo’s omission has stirred debate, especially given the breadth of her impact during the award window of January 6 to October 15, 2025.
She was instrumental in Nigeria’s record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph, closing the tournament with two goals, six assists, and a Player of the Match display in the final against Morocco—where she scored once and created two more in a dramatic 3–2 victory.
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Her dominance extended to club football. With AFC Toronto, Okoronkwo became one of the architects of the team’s Northern Super League Supporters’ Shield win. She finished the regular season with eight goals and seven assists—no player in the league created more—and provided the match-winning assist against Montreal Roses to secure the title.
Among the 45 foreign players in the NSL, she made history as the first African to claim the league’s inaugural shield and one of only six players from outside North America to achieve the milestone.
Despite her powerful résumé—over 20 goal contributions across all competitions and two major trophies—CAF opted for other finalists. Critics argue her influence far outweighed that of players like Temwa Chawinga (15 goals, 3 assists for Kansas City Current) and Barbra Banda (8 goals, 2 assists for Orlando Pride), neither of whom won silverware within the eligible period.
Awards Night Begins at 6 p.m. Nigerian Time
The CAF Awards ceremony will proceed tonight in Rabat, Morocco, starting at 6 p.m. Nigerian time—but without one of Africa’s biggest football stars present, and with one of its most in-form women’s players watching from afar.
