Osimhen nominated for Best FIFA Men’s Player

Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen has been nominated for the Best FIFA Men’s Player at the 2023 Awards.

This is coming a week after he was nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award.

The Napoli striker was in impeccable form last season, helping his Italian side win their first Scudetto in 33 years.

Osimhen scored 25 league goals last season, beating off Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao to scoop the prize for the Best Striker in Serie A.

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He also helped the team reach the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League and was instrumental as the Super Eagles sealed a ticket for the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The feat earned the 24-year-old player the accolade as the first African to top the Serie A scorers’ chart.

He also broke George Weah’s record for the most goals scored by an African in the Italian league with the achievement.

Last weekend, he scored a hat-trick for the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the AFCON qualifiers, taking his tally to 20 goals for the national team.

Voting closes at midnight CET on Friday, October 6.

Shortlisted by a panel of experts based on player achievements from 19 December 2022 to 20 August 2023, the nominees are:

Julián Álvarez (Argentina / Manchester City FC)
Marcelo Brozović (Croatia / FC Internazionale Milano / Al Nassr FC)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Manchester City FC)
İlkay Gündoğan (Germany / Manchester City FC / FC Barcelona);
Erling Haaland (Norway / Manchester City FC)
Rodrigo (Rodri) Hernández Cascante (Spain / Manchester City FC)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia / SSC Napoli)
Kylian Mbappé (France / Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi (Argentina / Paris Saint-Germain / Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami)
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria / SSC Napoli)
Declan Rice (England / West Ham United FC / Arsenal FC)
Bernardo Silva (Portugal / Manchester City FC)