Three Super Eagles players have made the shortlist for this year’s AF Awards holding in Marrakesh, Morocco in December.

Expectedly, Ademola Lookman is listed among those for the elite award, the African Footballer of the Year. He is joined by Super Eagles’ captain, William Troost-Ekong.  The revelation came from CAF through their X handle.

There are 10 players on the shortlist and in the next few days, that will be cut by half before the final three.

Listed in the elite category are Amine Gouiri of Algeria, Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso), Simon Adingra (Cote d’Ivoire), Chancel Mbemba (Congo), Serhou Guiracy (Guinea), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Soufiane Rahimi (Morocco) and Rowen Williams (South Africa).

Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is nominated for the Goalkeeper of the Year award.  He will contest the award with  Morocco’s Yassine Bounou (now in Saudi Arabia), Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, and Senegal’s Djigui Diarra and  Cameroon’s Andre Onana.

Nigerian Breweries Plc, a long-standing pillar of support for Nigerian football, has expressed immense pride and joy in the nation’s historic achievements at the 2023 CAF Awards.

 

The victories of Super Eagles’ forward, Victor Osimhen, and Super Falcons’ duo of Asisat Oshoala, and Chiamaka Nnadozie, were celebrated by the Head of Marketing Communications at Nigerian Breweries, Sandra Amachree who stated, “It is incredibly pleasing to see Nigerian football being celebrated in such a positive light.

 

This feat serves as a powerful inspiration and bodes well for the upcoming 2024 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments for both men and women in Cote D’Ivoire and Morocco, respectively.”

 

Sandra Amachree further highlighted the significance of these awards, emphasizing their potential to inspire further investment in Nigerian football by Nigerian Breweries.

 

“This success is a testament to the dedication and talent of our players, and it encourages us to continue investing in initiatives that raise the bar for football in Nigeria,” she added.

 

Osimhen ended Nigeria’s 24-year wait; winning the coveted ‘African Footballer of the Year’ award.

 

The Napoli striker follows in the footsteps of Nigerian legends like Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu, and Victor Ikpeba

 

For Oshoala, she continued her reign as the queen of African football by securing a record-extending sixth CAF Player of the Year (Women) award.

 

While Nnadozie’s impressive performance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup was duly acknowledged as she was awarded the Goalkeeper of the Year (Women) title.

 

The Super Falcons, consistently supported by Amstel Malta Ultra and Zagg Energy Drink with Malt, received their due recognition as they were crowned the Women’s National Team of the Year.

 

Nigerian Breweries, through some of its brands like 33 Export Lager, Star Lager, Life Continental Beer, Amstel Malta Ultra, and Zagg Energy Drink with Malt, has consistently demonstrated its unwavering support for Nigerian football since February 2018.

 

This commitment extends to both the men’s and women’s teams, as showcased by their continued backing of the Super Eagles and Super Falcons respectively.

 

Osimhen, a past recipient of the 33” Export Lager Man-of-the-Match Award, represents the ongoing commitment of 33 Export Lager and Life Continental Beer to the Super Eagles.

 

Similarly, the Super Falcons have enjoyed unparalleled support from Amstel Malta Ultra and Zagg Energy Drink with Malt, fostering a strong partnership between the brands and the women’s national team.

 

Strategic partners to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited, have congratulated the trio of Victor Osimhen, Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie and the entire Super Falcons team on their triumphs at the just concluded 2023 CAF Awards ceremony held in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday night.

In a press statement made available to journalists in Lagos by GTI Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, the company affirmed that the remarkable achievements of Victor Osimhen, on winning the CAF 2023 Men’s Player of the Year; Asisat Oshoala who clinched the 2023 CAF Women’s Player of The Year; Chiamaka Nnadozie, who emerged as Woman Goalkeeper of the Year, as well as the Super Falcons as the Women’s National Team of the Year is a confirmation that the country is blessed with abundant talents in sports, especially football.

Reacting to the superlative outings of the Nigerian trio, the Executive Director of GTI, Nelson Ine attributed Nigeria’s continental triumphs at the Awards ceremony to hard work and determination on the part of the players involved.

“GTI is proud to join many stakeholders of Nigerian football in congratulating Nigeria’s sensational striker Victor Osimhen; six-time CAF Women’s Player of the Year, Asisat Oshoala; inaugural Woman Goalkeeper of the Year Chiamaka Nnadozie and the Super Falcons for putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians.

“The triumphant feats by these Nigerians have redoubled the efforts of GTI in seeing that more Osimhens, Oshoalas and Nnadozies are produced through our strategic partnership with the NPFL in the near future.

“We need to rekindle our efforts at sustaining the country’s soccer prowess going forward and GTI is strategically positioned to compliment the efforts of administrators of sports in Nigeria to actualize this great dream since we have enough talents to make our dream come to fruition,” he stated.

Speaking further, Ine said: “The achievements of Osimhen and co will really serve as an inspiration to aspiring young footballers to always give out their best while wearing the green and white jersey of the country. Therefore, we call on the private sector to continue to play a vital role and support the government in its bid to take sports development in the country to a desirable height.”

However, the CAF 2023 Award prize is a recognition of Osimhen’s exploits for his Napoli club side and the Super Eagles where he is a key member. He spearheaded the Italian team’s unprecedented Serie A title run, scoring 26 goals in the league to become the first African to win the Pichichi (top scorer) Award. Napoli last won the Scudetto 33 years ago during the legendary Diego Maradona’s era.

Also, Osimhen’s ranking in the 2023 Ballon d’Or was a testament to his contributions to the Serie A team’s epochal showing. He was ninth, becoming the highest-ranked Nigerian in the history of the award.

Earlier in the month, the Nigerian was crowned as Italian footballers’ association player of the Year, and became the first African to win the AIC Award.

Meanwhile, GTI have felicitated with the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh and the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau on the achievements of these young Nigerians at the just concluded CAF 2023 Awards.