Barcelona’s Asisat Oshoala and Paris FC Chiamaka Nnadozie have been revealed as finalists in the women’s categories for the Player of the Year at the CAF Awards 2023.
Oshoala, the first African woman footballer to win the UEFA Champions League, aims to win her sixth award while Nnadozie hopes to make the podium for the first time.
The duo have been outstanding for both club and country in the year under review but face stiff competition from Moroccan trio Anissa Lahmari, Fatima Tagnaout and Ghizlaine Chebbak Andile Dlamini, Thembi Kgatlana and Hilda Magaia from South Africa and Cameroon’s Ajara Njoya and Barbara Banda from Zambia complete the top 10 list of players vying for the award.
CAF also announced nominees for other categories namely Interclub Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year and Club of the Year.
For the Goalkeeper of the Year, Nnadozie is up against Dlamini, Imane Abdelahad, Khadija Er-Rmichi and Kaylin Swart while Falcons duo Deborah Abiodun and Esther Ajakaye will battle Comfort Yeboah, Nesryne El Chad and Thubelihle Shamase for the Young Player of the Year award.
Out of contract Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum, will jostle with Mehdi El Qaichouri, Reynald Pedros, Desiree Ellis, Jerry Tshabalala for the Coach of the Year award in the women’s category.
Waldrum led the Falcons to a Round of 16 finish at the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia. The Nigerian women’s national team is also listed for the National Team of the Year award alongside Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia.
The ultimate winner of each category will be decided after votes from a voting panel consisting of CAF Technical Committee, media professionals, national team coaches and captains from member associations and clubs involved in the group stages of the Interclub competitions.
The Awards Gala will hold on December 11 at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, Marrakech, Morocco.
