Williams says Nigeria's poor performance led to Osimhen's CAF snub

Former chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, Kojo Williams, has said Nigeria cannot blame the Confederation of African Football for leaving Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen out of the 2026 African Player of the Year shortlist. He pointed to Nigeria's poor performances on the international scene as the reason for the snub.

Williams mentioned that Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and not winning the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations hurt the country’s chances for recognition at the awards.

Speaking on ThePlayzone Podcast, the former football administrator said he was not shocked by the lack of Nigerian players in the men’s and women’s Player of the Year nomination lists.

“It won’t be fair to me to say that I am surprised, but it all has to do with our performances, what we’ve done in the last year,” Williams said.

He continued, “So if we’re not doing the right thing, of course, they won’t pick us. Did we qualify for the World Cup? We didn’t win the AFCON. You cannot fault that.”

Osimhen’s exclusion from the men’s shortlist has sparked reactions from Nigerian football fans. Many feel his performances for Galatasaray and the Super Eagles should have earned him a spot.

The striker scored four goals at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and played a key role in helping Galatasaray keep their Turkish Super Lig title.

Despite recognizing Osimhen’s strong performances, Williams suggested other factors could affect the selection process. He mentioned club reputation and the league a player is in might play a part.

“You know, sometimes they play politics. Yes, Victor did well in Europe, but you had the other guys from other teams like PSG, and maybe the league he’s playing in,” he said.

Williams also praised Osimhen’s talent, recalling his past success at these awards.

“Yes, he won African Footballer of the Year when he was playing for Napoli. He’s a great player,” he added.

CAF’s 10-man shortlist for the men’s award includes some top African football stars like Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Ismaila Sarr, Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, and DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa.

Nigeria’s absence from this list is significant, especially considering its history at the awards. Former Super Eagles legends like Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, Osimhen, and Ademola Lookman have all won the men’s prize in the past.

In the women’s category, Nigerians Asisat Oshoala, Perpetua Nkwocha, Cynthia Uwak, and Mercy Akide have also received continental honors.

This latest omission raises concerns about Nigeria’s declining influence in African football. Williams’ comments point to the need for the national teams to perform better.

For Nigeria to regain its spot among Africa’s football elite, it will take not just individual talent from top players but also stronger results in major international tournaments.