CAF Awards: Osimhen and Oshoala dedicate honours to coaches, teammates and fans

The 2023 Africa Men’s Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, has hailed Nigerian legend, Emmanuel Amunike, who tutored him as a U-17 player and paved the way for his illustrious career.

Osimhen thanked Amunike, his mentor, for playing a pivotal role in shaping his career.

He said, “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I want to say thank you God for everything. Special thanks go to Emmanuel Amunike. Without him, I don’t think I would be standing in front of you guys holding one of the most prestigious awards in world football. It’s a dream come true for me.”

Winner of the Women’s Award Asisat Oshoala also thanked coaches and players she has played with throughout her career after she cemented her place as one of the greatest players on the continent by claiming a record sixth-extending CAF African Women’s Player of the Year award.

Before now, Oshoala won the award in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022, and this time, the 29-year-old saw off the contest of South African Thembi Kgatlana and Zambian Barbara Banda to claim the crown.

In her acceptance speech after receiving her title, Oshoala thanked all who had been part of her career especially her coaches and her teammates.

 “I would love to use this opportunity to thank everyone who has been part of my journey from grassroots football to national level to club side because without you, my coaches, my teammates, there would be no me,” she said.

She also urged the African teams federations to work together in developing football on the continent to produce a World Cup-winning African team saying, “Football is a team game and I would urge all the federations in Africa to please come together, let’s work together and build our continent, let’s make it the best in the world, it is very possible

“It happened in the last World Cup, the men’s World Cup, we shocked the world, and at the last World Cup in Australia, all the national teams that represented Africa, we made history and I believe before the next World Cup, we can get better, and I believe we can do better, and we can win it for sure.

“At the end of the day, if we don’t support ourselves, nobody will come down to Africa, nobody will come to this continent to support. We have to work together as a team because football is a team sport, let us start at home and go to the world and conquer it.”