Victor Osimhen is in the hunt for the FIFA’s Best Men’s Player of the Year award after world’s soccer ruling body FIFA yesterday named the Super Eagles forward along other contenders including Lionel Messi and Man City’s striker Erling Haaland.
The 24-year-old is the only African in the 12-man shortlist for the award alongside his Napoli’s teammate, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Osimhen had a campaign to remember as his goals partly led Napoli to the Scudetto as well as the Italian Capocannoniere (top scorer) with 26 league goals as he became the first African Serie A top scorer.
Aside his performance at club level, the former Lille striker was on fire for the Super Eagles despite not making it to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He scored 10 goals for Nigeria as they sealed their ticket to the 2024 AFCON in style, including a hat-trick against Sao Tome and Principe last time out.
Meanwhile, Haaland is joined in the running by six of his Manchester City treble-winning team-mates – including Ederson in the goalkeepers’ category – and their manager Pep Guardiola is up for the men’s coach prize. Current Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is also in the running for that award after winning a treble with Celtic.
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Ederson’s rivals for the goalkeeper prize include Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and Andre Onana, who won the Italian Cup and reached the Champions League final with Inter Milan before joining Manchester United.
The qualifying period for the men’s awards runs from December 19, 2022 – the day after current award-holder Messi helped Argentina to World Cup glory – to August 2023.
The FIFA Best Men’s Best shortlist comes after Osimhen was nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or as the Nigeria international striker strives to win football top accolades.
The Best FIFA Men’s Player award nominees
*Julian Alvarez (Argentina, Manchester City)
*Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia, Al-Nassr)
*Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium, Manchester City)
*Ilkay Gundogan (Germany, Barcelona)
*Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
*Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
*Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, Napoli)
*Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG)
*Lionel Messi (Argentina, Inter Miami)
*Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Napoli)
*Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
*Bernardo Silva (Portugal, Manchester City)