The Confederation of African Football has confirmed nominees for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year Award with some top players missing out.
The Award, which is currently being held by Nigeria international and Napoli loanee to Galatasaray, Victor Osimhen, pits some of the best African men’s footballers against each other.
The 10-man shortlist for the 2024 edition has PSG defender Achraf Hakimi among the nominees. 2024 Europa League final hero for Atalanta Ademola Lookman is also on the list.
Terrific Guinea forward and Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy is also among the contenders for the elite individual football award in Africa.
Nigerian and Al Kholood defender William-Troost Ekong also makes the cut, including South African and Mamelodi Sundown goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Others include 2023 AFCON winner and Brighton winger Simon Adingra, Bayer Leverkusen and Burkina Faso baller Edmond Tapsoba, Algeria and Rennes star Amine Gouiri, and Al Ain and Morocco sensation Soufiane Rahimi.
Top Footballers missing out from 2024 CAF African Player of the Year
Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen leads the list of footballers who have not been nominated for the 2024 CAF African Men’s Player of the Year.
Osimhen clinched the award in 2023 after he led the charge for Napoli’s 2022-23 Serie A triumph. The Nigeria international has witnessed a drastic fall in fortunes since the terrific 2022-23 Serie A campaign.
However, he is still in top shape currently playing for Galatasaray on loan from Napoli. He has scored three goals with two assists in 4 Super Lig matches for Galatasaray and is linked to a January or summer exit from the club.
Mohammed Salah
Mo Salah has been a generational talent, defying age to stay in top shape for Liverpool. He is one of the most consistent Premier League forwards. He won the award back-to-back in 2017 and 2018 and was among the top contenders in the last edition before Osimhen pipped him to the award.
The Egyptian forward recently broke into the top 10 Premier League’s all-time top scorers. He has banged in 5 goals with 5 assists for Liverpool in 8 Premier League games this season and has three goals plus assists in three UCL matches for the Reds
Brahim Diaz
Real Madrid attacker Brahim Diaz is another top star who has been left out of the 2024 CAF African Player of The Year Award. The 25-year-old Morocco international has a goal and one assist in 5 La Liga matches for Real Madrid season.
He won the Copa Del Rey and the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, scoring 8 La Liga goals in 31 appearances and two in nine Champions League appearances last season. His major challenge has been a lack of game time with Los Blancos.
Victor Boniface
Nigeria international Victor Boniface is another top African player who has not been nominated for the award. Boniface starred for Bayer Leverkusen as the team clinched a domestic domestic double last season.
Bundesliga titl won the DFB-Poka and reached the final of the Europa League. He scored 15 goals with 8 assists for the club last season and has netted five with one assist in seven Bundesliga matches this term.
Nicolas Jackson
Nicolas Jackson is Chelsea’s No.1 forward. The Senegalese, who is missing from the 10-man shortlist for the award, scored 14 Premier League goals with 5 assists in 35 appearances for the Blues last term. He has netted five times with three assists in eight matches this season.
Jackson had a not-so-stellar run with the Blues last season but has been tipped as one of the top forwards in the continent to watch out for.
Victor Boniface reacts to his exclusion from 2024 CAF Player of the Year Award Nominees
Victor Boniface took to social media to react to his exclusion from 2024 CAF Player of the Year Award Nominees. Commenting on a tweet which listed his achievements in the said year, the footballer dropped a rather light-hearted response to the list.
Hw wrote, ““Rookie of the season. Team of the season. No worry I no play AFCON. Na why I dey wait for memes d’or.”
Arguably, Boniface had a brilliant debut Bundesliga campaign with Bayer Leverkusen. He won the Rookie (Bundesliga player of the Month) three times in a row, made team of the season and added a domestic double to his shelf.
However, his inability to play AFCON for Nigeria must have deemed his chances. He missed the tournament due to injury while in training with the Nigeria squad.
Do you think Boniface and other aforementioned players deserved nomination for 2024 CAF player of the Year Award?
