Napoli’s Osimhen wins 2023 African Ballon d’Or

Victor Osimhen, striker for Napoli, has claimed the African Ballon d’Or 2023 – an announcement officially made by The Confederation of African Football (CAF).

As confirmed by a communique from the CAF, it stated that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen was named the CAF 2023 Player of the Year, recognising his heroic performances for his country and club. The Super Eagles star was awarded the coveted CAF honour on Monday at the award ceremony held in Marrakech. His notable achievement was attributed to a plethora of goals that propelled Napoli to clinch the Serie A title last season.

According to the CAF, Osimhen outdid Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian striker Mohammed Salah to secure the highest individual award in African football. The Napoli standout’s winning moment came after leading his club to their first Serie A title in over three decades.

The honour caps off an exceptional year for the powerful striker who also led Nigeria to the 2023 Africa Cup, scoring 10 goals to finish as the tournament’s top scorer. Credited with a remarkable 27 goals across all competitions, Osimhen’s performances undoubtedly lit up Italian football.

Significantly, the 24-year-old became the first Napoli player to become the top scorer in Italian football since Diego Maradona in the 1987/88 season. Now, Osimhen is the first Nigerian male recipient of the award since Kanu Nwankwo in 1999, following another high-scoring season. His goals led Napoli to their first Serie A title since the Maradona era, a victory few had predicted last summer.