CAF Awards: Dalung Saddened Over Exclusion of Nigeria Players

CAF Awards: Dalung Saddened Over Exclusion of Nigeria Players

By Niyi Busari

The immediate past Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung said he is worried by the exclusion of Nigeria players in the 28th Confederation of African Football Awards (CAF) held in Egypt, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

Dalung cited Nigeria's failure to win the 2019 African Nations Cup as well as the nation's Europe based players not featuring for the big teams in Europe are two major reasons why they were snubbed.

Dalung then urged Nigerian players to be more dedicated and committed so that they can feature for big teams in Europe which according to him will place them shoulder to shoulder with the final shortlisted players in the coming years.

"I felt very sad when i saw that no Nigeria player was in the FIFPRO CAF Best XI players in Africa. No one in his rightful senses will be happy with the way things are going. The truth is that something is wrong with our football because we can all see that the game is going down. We must be honest with ourselves, we are nowhere in football as we lost out in many major competitions last year and failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Men's and Women's events."

"On their part, the players must be dedicated and focused to be able to play for the European big teams. This will help them to contest favourably in the last three shortlisted players."

At the 28th CAF Awards in Egypt, no Nigeria player could made it in the Fifpro CAF Best XI African Players, no one could made it to the last three shortlisted players for the Player Of The Year award, while Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen lost the Young Player of The Year award to Achraf Hakimi who plays for Borrusia Dortmund in Germany.

Meanwhile, Super Falcons striker, Asisat Oshoala emerged the African Best Women Player Of The Year for 2019.

In 2019, Nigeria, the bronze winners in Men's Football event in 2016 Rio Olympics failed to pick the ticket to defend the title in Tokyo, the Super Falcons also lost to Ivory Coast in the Olympics qualifier, the Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles were bundled out in their separate FIFA World Cups on the second rounds.