As reported by The PUNCH, Victor Osimhen, the Super Eagles and Napoli striker, has earned a nomination for the 2018 FIFA Men’s Player of the Year award.
The list, unveiled by FIFA on Thursday, featured just three African players, namely the Nigerian striker Osimhen, Andre Onana from Cameroon, and Yassine Bounou from Morocco.
The eligibility period for the award spans from December 19, 2022, to August 10, 2023, with notable nominees such as the Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland.
During this timeframe, Osimhen contributed significantly with 29 goals and played a pivotal role in Napoli’s triumphant Serie A title win, marking their first championship victory in over three decades.
The Nigerian ace is the third top scorer in the 2023 calendar, behind Haaland (35) and Mbappe (30).
List of the shortlistes candidate for the awards
In addition to the FIFA prize, England’s Declan Rice has also secured a spot on the shortlist, joining the ranks of Manchester City Treble winners including Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, and Julian Alvarez.
The Lionesses, represented by Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood, Lauren James, and Keira Walsh, are contenders for the women’s award. They are accompanied by Aitana Bonmati, the World Cup Golden Ball recipient, and fellow world champions Jennifer Hermoso, Mapi Leon, and Salma Paralluelo.
The Best Men’s Coach Award features Ange Postecoglou, Pep Guardiola, Simone Inzaghi, Luciano Spalletti, and Xavi as nominees. In the women’s category, Chelsea’s Emma Hayes and England’s manager Sarina Wiegman are in contention for the coaching award, with Jorge Vilda notably absent from the list.
Among the nominees for the Best Men’s Coach Award are Ange Postecoglou, Pep Guardiola, Simone Inzaghi, Luciano Spalletti, and Xavi.
The Women’s Goalkeeper Award sees England’s Mary Earps among the six nominated stoppers, competing against Catalino Coll from Barcelona and Zecira Musovic from Chelsea.
In the Men’s Goalkeeper category, Champions League final goalkeepers Ederson and Andre Onana face off once again, alongside Thibaut Courtois, Yassine Bounou, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The nominees for the prestigious Puskas Award will be unveiled on September 21.
Voting for all individual awards is set to open on Thursday, September 14 and will conclude on Friday, October 6.
