Abuja, Nigeria – This one na serious matter wey dey go down for African football as CAF don release di shortlist for 2025 African Player of di Year award. Naija’s very own Victor Osimhen go dey troway with big boys like Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi. Dis one go sweet pass jollof as dis ten-man list dey compile some of di best African players wey don show wetin dem fit do last season.
Osimhen no just dey play ball, he dey run am as if he get rockets for him shoes! Di guy net 37 goals and provide 8 assists for Galatasaray last season, helping dem secure di domestic double. E don dey hot for di pitch like pounded yam!
Now, make we check di King of Ghalala, di one and only Mohamed Salah! Dis man just dey chop goals like say dem dey sell am for market. Last season, he no only carry di Premier League Golden Boot; he also drop 23 assists like he dey for Christmas gisting. Liverpool don dey do di title dance again, and Salah na di main DJ for di party.
No forget Achraf Hakimi, di guy wey be right-back for Paris St-Germain. E help dem carry four trophies last season, and na dat kind achievement fit make person shine like diamond. With 9 goals and 12 assists for dat position, e dey show say defenders too fit sabi how to score like strikers. Na real influencers wey dem be!
Di shortlist also get some other heavyweights wey dem fit cause tori. We get Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye and Pape Matar Sarr, dem don help dem national team qualify for di 2026 FIFA World Cup, dem dey sharp too. Plus, Cameroon own Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, DR Congo striker Fiston Mayele, Gabon forward Denis Bouanga, Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy, Moroccan midfielder Oussama Lamlioui round am up well. Na wah!
Caf go use votes from their technical committee plus football legends, journalists and even coaches to decide di ultimate winner. Dem never announce di ceremony date yet, but when e come, e go be gist swap under di palm wine shed as dem go celebrate di best of di best.
Shout-out to di ladies dem too! Nigeria’s Esther Okoronkwo and Rasheedat Ajibade don enter di nominations for di women’s Player of di Year award, as well as di Cape Verde coach Bubista for men’s Coach of di Year. Dis na big year for African football, and everybody dey try catch di glow!
So, make we sit down dey chop popcorn as we watch who go carry di crown come 2025! One thing wey we fit confirm be say, no matter who win, African football be like party wey no go ever finish!
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