July 22, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala set a new African football record by winning her fifth CAF Women’s Player of the Year honour at the 2022 ceremony on Thursday, as Senegal’s star forward, Sadio Mane, was also named the Men’s Player of the Year, after helping the Teranga Lions win the Africa Cup of Nations.
Oshoala has now surpassed her fellow countrywoman and former Super Falcons great, Perpetua Nkwocha, to become the first person to win the African Player of the Year award five times, an inkling into how consistent she has been since breaking into the limelight at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she was named best player at the tournament.
Senegal had a very good night as they were also crowned National Team of the Year, and their coach. Aliou Cisse, was voted Africa’s Coach of the Year at a glitzy event in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. Mane, who won the 2018 edition as well, beat the challenge posed by former teammate and Egyptian forward, Mohamed Salah, to hold the title for another year.
After a trophy-laden tenure with Liverpool in England, he recently left the club to join serial German Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich, where he has contributed to shine.
Desiree Ellis, head coach of South Africa’s women’s national team, was another serial winner, as she was named Africa’s Coach of the Year in the women’s football category for the third consecutive time. She has built a solid female national team and the Banyana Banyana will play host nation, Morocco, in the final of the TotalEnergies 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations on Saturday, where a new winner is sure to emerge.
Concerning the award for the Women’s National Team of the Year, the organising team reevaluated the selection procedure because there was no significant women’s competition during the period under consideration. Therefore, a winner will be chosen, in accordance with the standards of the award and women’s football in general, after the July 23, AWCON final.
The Full List of Winners:
Player of the Year (Men)
Sadio Mane (Senegal and Bayern Munich)
Player of the Year (Women)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and FC Barcelona)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men)
Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly)
Young Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Young Player of the Year (Men)
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal and Tottenham Hotspur)
Coach of the Year (Women)
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Coach of the Year (Men)
Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
Club of the Year (Women)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Club of the Year (Men)
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
National Team of the Year (Men)
Senegal
Goal of the Year
Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba)
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
