Nwankwo Kanu’s record on the line? Osimhen makes CAF POTY top ten cut

Nwankwo Kanu’s record on the line? Osimhen makes CAF POTY top ten cut

Osimhen had a remarkable season with Napoli, and he seems to be edging closer to one of the biggest prizes in African football

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been included in the top ten nominees for the CAF Player of the Year Award, Soccernet reports

Osimhen had a super campaign at Napoli last season. He scored 31 goals in all competitions to help them reach the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal, and he helped them to their first Scudetto in 33 years.

The 24-year-old hitman also broke longstanding goal records held by Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o and George Weah.

He also had a good year with the Super Eagles, finishing the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as the highest goalscorer.

Earlier in November, Africa’s football governing body CAF released a list of 30 players for the CAF Player of the Year (POTY) awards, and Osimhen was on the list.

The list has been reduced to ten again, and Osimhen has made the cut. The Napoli star has competition from club teammate Angussa Anguissa, Riyad Mahrez, Vincent Aboubakar, Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi,  Yacine, Sofyan Amarabat, Achraf Hakimi, Yassine Bounou, Yousef en-Neusiri, and Sadio Mane.

Osimhen is the favourite to win the award, especially after he emerged as the highest-ranking African player at the Balon d’Or ceremony. If he wins the the CAF POTY award, he will be the first Nigerian to win the award since 1998 when Nwankwo Kanu won it.