Osimhen, Lookman snubbed as CAF unveils 2026 men's Player of the Year shortlist
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, on Wednesday unveiled the nominees for the 2026 Men's Player of the Year award, with Nigerian stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman surprisingly absent from the shortlist. Both players played key roles for the Super Eagles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, in Morocco, where Nigeria secured […] Osimhen, Lookman snubbed as CAF unveils 2026…
Nigerian footballers, including Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, have been notably absent from the 2026 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award shortlist. The nominees, revealed by CAF on X, include Sadio Mané from Senegal, Achraf Hakimi from Morocco, and Amad Diallo from Ivory Coast, among others. The absence of Nigerian players marks the first time in many years and comes amid Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The full list of nominees spans across various categories, including the Men’s Young Player of the Year, Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Men’s National Team of the Year, Men’s Club of the Year, and Men’s Coach of the Year.
Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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