No Nigerian footballer, including Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, made the 10-man list for the 2026 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award. This list was announced on Wednesday.
The nominees were revealed by CAF on its X handle. They include Senegal’s Sadio Mané, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, and Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo. The winner will be announced at the CAF Awards ceremony set for December 7 in Lagos.
These players are in the running for the award along with seven other players from different countries on the continent. The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony will take place in Lagos on Monday, December 7.
This is the first time in many years that no Nigerian player made this shortlist. It also comes after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the biggest football event of the year.
The Eagles lost to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the African play-off final in November 2025. They ended the match in a 1-1 draw after extra time but lost 4-3 in the penalty shootout. This loss dashed their hopes of reaching the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Despite this setback, Nigeria managed to finish third in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco. This tournament took place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The announcement of the men’s shortlist came just a day after PUNCH Online reported that no Super Falcons player received a nomination for the Women’s Player of the Year award.
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