CAF Awards 2023: Algeria FA boycotts Victor Osimhen’s historic African Best crowning

Members of the Algerian football federation were not present when Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen was crowned the best player on the African continent at the 2023 CAF Awards Gala on Monday night.

The President of the federation, Walid Sadi declared that Algerians boycott the CAF Awards ceremony in support of its star player Riyad Mahrez who despite winning a treble with Manchester City, was snubbed from the final three shortlist.

Nigeria ended a 24-year wait as Victor Osimhen was named CAF Men’s Player of the Year for 2023 after beating competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah.

However, Sadi believes that Mahrez should have made the top three cut.

The former Leicester City winger was an influential player for Manchester City winning the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup, after contributing 17 goals and 19 assists in all competitions.

Hakimi won the French Ligue 1 with PSG and was a crucial member of the Atlas Lions side that reached the semifinal of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar as the first African team to reach that stage.

Osimhen finished the 2022/23 season as the top scorer in Serie A with 26 goals, becoming the first-ever African Capocannonierea (Golden Boot) to help Napoli to its first Scudetto in 33 years.

The 24-year-old Nigerian also scored another six goals in the UEFA Champions League last season as Napoli reached its first quarter-finals.

In contrast, Salah made the final draft despite Liverpool going without a trophy during the 2022/23 season, which got the Algerian FA President pissed and boycotted the award gala missing out on Osimhem being crowned the winner.

“I will not attend the CAF Awards ceremony. I have informed CAF of my decision, and, with the grace of God, no Algerian will be present at this event in solidarity with Riyad Mahrez and the Union Sportive de la Medina d’Alger,” he said during a press conference.