CAF snubs Osimhen, other Nigerians from Player of Year list—Kojo Williams blames team results
CAF unveiled its 10-man shortlist for Men's African Player of the Year today with zero Nigerians nominated. The list features Yoane Wissa, Ismael Saibari, Achraf Hakimi, Ismaïla Sarr, and Amad Diallo among others. Former NFA chairman Kojo Williams told ThePlayzone podcast the omission comes down to Nigeria's poor collective results over the past year.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and settled for third place at the 2025 AFCON. The Super Falcons missed Women's World Cup qualification and finished outside the top three at WAFCON. Williams was blunt: "Did we qualify for the World Cup? We didn't win the AFCON. You can't fault that."
Victor Osimhen's individual brilliance—four goals at AFCON 2025 and a Turkish Super Lig title with Galatasaray—wasn't enough. Williams acknowledged politics and league prestige likely play a role: "Victor did well in Europe, but there were other players from teams such as PSG, and perhaps the league he plays in also matters." Osimhen previously won the award in 2023 while at Napoli.
The snub reignites debate about CAF's criteria. Should individual excellence outweigh team failure? Or does the award rightly reward players who deliver on the biggest continental stages?
With Nigeria's next AFCON qualifiers approaching, the pressure builds on the new Super Eagles setup to restore continental credibility—or accept more award ceremonies without Nigerian representation.