Osimhen, Oshoala Achievements At CAF Awards Excites Akide

Osimhen, Oshoala Achievements At CAF Awards Excites Akide

Precious Oham

The 1999 Africa Player of the Year (Women), Mercy Akide-Udoh has expressed joy over the incredible achievements of Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala at the 2023 CAF Awards, BSNSports.com.ng reports. 

Osimhen and Oshoala were both crowned Player of the Year (Men) and Player of the Year (Women) in 2023.

Akide, who achieved the double in 1999 with Nwankwo Kanu as Africa Player of the Year (Men) said she feels blessed to have won the award 24 years ago.

Akide expressed optimism that the country's success at the 2023 CAF Football Awards in Marrakech, Morocco would spur the national teams to victory in various competitions. 

“I feel blessed to have been the first woman to win this award back then in 1999. Winning it at the same time with a legend and fellow Nigerian like (Nwankwo) Kanu was very special and I think it was the beginning of recognition for women’s football in Africa.

“I am excited that other Nigerians have done it again and I hope that we will see more of this in future. If anybody had told me that it would take so many years before another Nigerian man would win it again, I don’t think any of us would have believed it, but that’s football and God knows best.

“I am proud of all the winners and I hope that as Nigeria has won so many awards tonight, this will be the start of more success for our football, from the AFCON in January to the women winning their own too and then to the FIFA World Cup.”