Seven Super Falcons players, including Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie and Rasheedat Ajibade, have been nominated for the Women’s Player of the Year award in the 2023 CAF Awards, billed to be held in Morocco in December.
On Tuesday, the 30-woman shortlist for the coveted category was announced by the African football governing body. Seven Nigerian players made the list alongside 23 other players from various countries on the continent.
AT LAST.
Your nominees for the 2023 Player of the Year (WOMEN) award.#CAFAwards2023 pic.twitter.com/tBHme56VsD
— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 14, 2023
As expected, the five-time winner of the honour, Oshoala, will be looking to extend her record number of the award and pull off a three-peat. She won the Women’s Champions League, the league title and the Super Cup during the period under review.
Also, Atletico Madrid star Ajibade made the list alongside her compatriots goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who impressed at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Osinachi Ohale, Toni Payne, Uchenna Kanu and Christy Ucheibe.
South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana, Barbara Banda of Zambia, and Anissa Lahmari, Fatima Tagnaout, Ghizlaine Chebbak, Ibtissam Jraidi, Khadija Er-Rmichi from Morocco all received nominations too.
In the other categories, Nnadozie was nominated for the ‘Goalkeeper of the Year’ award, and Deborah Abiodun, Oluwatosin Dimeji and Opeyemi Ajakaye were shortlisted in the ‘Young Player of the Year’ category.
Meanwhile, Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum was nominated for the ‘Coach of the Year’ award alongside South Africa’s Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis. Nigeria was nominated for the ‘Women’s National Team of the Year’.
