African Player of the Year: Why CAF snubbed Osimhen, others – Ex-NFA Chairman, Kojo Williams

Former Nigeria Football Association, NFA, chairman Kojo Williams has attributed the absence of Nigerian footballers from the men’s and women’s African Player of the Year nomination lists to the country’s disappointing performances over the past year.

Williams maintained that the Confederation of African Football, CAF, should not be held responsible for leaving Nigerian players out, insisting that the country’s recent achievements did not justify their inclusion.

The Super Eagles endured a difficult period after failing to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, before settling for third place at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations. Similarly, the Super Falcons missed out on FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification and failed to secure a top-three finish at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

CAF recently unveiled a 10-man shortlist for the Men’s African Player of the Year award, featuring some of the continent’s standout performers, including Yoane Wissa, Ismael Saibari, Achraf Hakimi, Ismaïla Sarr and Amad Diallo.

Reacting to Nigeria’s absence from the nominations, Williams said the development was hardly surprising, pointing to the national teams’ results as the major reason behind the snub.

“It wouldn’t be fair for me to say I’m surprised. It all comes down to our performances and what we’ve achieved over the past year,” he said on ThePlayzone podcast.

“So, if we’re not doing the right things, of course they won’t select us. Did we qualify for the World Cup? We didn’t win the AFCON. You can’t fault that.”

One of the biggest talking points surrounding the shortlist was the omission of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.

The Galatasaray forward enjoyed an impressive campaign, scoring four goals at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations while also playing an influential role in his club’s successful defence of the Turkish Super Lig title.

However, Williams suggested that factors beyond individual performances could sometimes influence the outcome of the African Player of the Year selection.

“You know, sometimes politics comes into it. Victor did well in Europe, but there were other players from teams such as PSG, and perhaps the league he plays in also matters,” he said.

“Yes, he won African Footballer of the Year while playing for Napoli. He’s a great player.”

Williams nevertheless acknowledged Osimhen’s quality, while maintaining that the broader circumstances surrounding the nominations should be considered when assessing Nigeria’s absence.