On December 11, the award ceremony for the best football players in Africa was held in Marrakesh, Morocco. The reliable bookmaker 1xBet talks about participants recognized for outstanding achievements this year.
Player of the Year
The individual Player of the Year awards for men’s and women’s football went to Nigeria. Victor Osimhen won the title with Napoli, becoming Serie A’s top scorer, and reached the Champions League quarter-finals, which allowed him to beat Achraf Hakimi and Mohamed Salah. It’s the first such award for the forward, while Asisat Oshoala became female player of the year for a record sixth time. The 29-year-old striker won the Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey with Barcelona, so she had no competitors.
National Team of the Year, Coach of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year
The Moroccan national team’s performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a historic success for African football. The Atlas Lions reached the semi-finals and became the best men’s team of the year, while their manager, Walid Regragui, won the Coach of the Year award. Morocco’s breakthrough was only possible with Yassine Bounou, who conceded just one goal in the tournament’s first five games and kept Spain from scoring in the penalty shoot-out. Goalkeeper of the Year, no questions asked.
The Nigerian squad was recognized as the best among women’s national teams. The Super Falcons made it to the World Cup 1/8 finals, where they lost to eventual finalists England. We should note that goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie did everything possible for her team’s victory, so the Goalkeeper of the Year became a well-deserved prize for her confident play. Coach of the Year was Desiree Ellis, under whose leadership the South African team reached the World Cup 1/8 finals for the first time in history.
Club of the Year
Egypt’s Al Ahly made a difficult journey to victory in the CAF Champions League and received their first Club of the Year award in ten years. A similar title among women’s teams was won by the South African Mamelodi Sundowns, whose representatives defended the CAF Women’s Champions League trophy without conceding a single goal.
Young Player of the Year
The best African players are admired for their performances worldwide, and soon, new stars may ascend to the football Olympus: Senegalese Lamine Kamara from Metz and Moroccan Nesryne El Chad from Lille took the Young Player of the Year awards, which highlighted their great prospects.
Interclub Player of the Year
The best players from local leagues also received CAF Awards memorable statuettes. Fatima Tagnaout from AS FAR has impressed with her skill level on the domestic scene and in the CAF WCL, becoming the first Moroccan to achieve this accolade. Among the men, the winner was Al Ahly winger Percy Tau, who scored ten goals in the last CAF CL.
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Celebrating African talents: 1xBet sums up CAF Awards 2023
