By Femi Kasali
Super Falcons of Nigeria and Barcelona Football Club of Spain Striker, Asisat Oshoala has been crowned the 2022 African Female Footballer of the Year, following her superlative performance for both club and country.
Oshoala becomes the first African to achieve the feat of winning Five African Footballer of the Year Award, surpassing former Super Falcons midfielder, Perpetual Nkwocha who had won the award four times.
The CAF Award Ceremony held in Rabat, Morocco saw Oshoala picking the coveted award ahead of ahead of Indomitable Lioness of Cameroon Striker, Ajara Nchout Njoya, who plays her Club Football in Italy with Inter Milan Football Club and Zambia international, Grace Chanda, who plays her Club football in Kazakhstan with BIIK Kazygurt Football Club.
The 2021-22 campaign was arguably Oshoala’s best yet as she played a key role in her Spanish side’s treble charge – the Spanish Women’s Super Cup, Copa de la Reina and the Primera Division.
Although, she missed a couple of matches due to injury, that did not stop her from emerging as league joint-top scorer after netting 20 goals in 19 league appearances to share the award with Brazilian Geyse Ferreira, who managed the same number of goals in 27 appearances for Madrid CFF.
Impressively, she scored a hat-trick against Real Betis and a double versus Real Sociedad, Valencia, Villarreal, and Real Betis.
In the Copa de la Reina, she scored in her only appearance in the tournament against Real Madrid.
Her side could have won a quadruple, but Barcelona lost 3-1 to Olympique Lyonnais at the Juventus Stadium in Turin.
Internationally, she contributed little as she did not score a single goal for the Super Falcons in the period under review.
To make things worse, she was ruled out of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2022 with Nigeria through injury after suffering a medial collateral ligament strain in the West African’s 2-1 defeat to South Africa in Rabat.
Oshoala is the fourth Nigerian to land the women’s version of the award, following in the footsteps of Mercy Akide (2001), Nkwocha (2004, 2005, 2010 & 2011) and Cynthia Uwak (2006 & 2007).
Senegal and Bayern Munchen Forward, Sadio Mane was crowned the CAF Male African Footballer of the Year, ahead of Senegalese Compatriot, Edouard Mendy and former Liverpool Football Club of England teammate, Mohammed Salah.
Singer David ‘Davido’ Adeleke and Austin ‘Jayjay’ Okocha were some of the leading Africans in sport and music to present an award at the 2022 CAF awards.
While Davido, alongside Emmanuel Adebayor, presented the award for young female footballer of the year to Ghana’s Evelyn Badu, Okocha presented the award for goal of the year to Papa Ousma Sacho.
Davido joined eminent sports personalities and dignitaries in Rabat, Morocco for the 2022 edition of the major African sporting event.
The winners of others awards are;
Club of the Year (Women) – Mamelodi Sundowns
Interclub Player of the Year (Women) – Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Young Player of the Year (Women) – Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Coach of the Year (Women) – Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Coach of the Year (Male) – Aliou Cisse
Interclub Player of the Year (Male) – Mohammed El-Shenawy
