The Confederation of African Football has shortlisted Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo, Victor Osimhen, and Wilfred Ndidi for its 2019 Men Footballer of the Year award.
The trio were nominated alongside Mohammed Salah of Egypt, Senegal’s Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and 24 others in a list released by CAF on Sunday.
In the Women’s Player of the Year category, three-time winner, Asisat Oshoala, and fellow compatriot, Uchenna Kanu were nominated.
Also, Super Falcons goalkeeper, Chidinma Nnadozie, who was impressive at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, secured a spot in the list alongside six others.
Nigeria’s forward, Samuel Chukwueze, and Osimhen were shortlisted for African Youth Player of the Year.
Former Falcons coach Thomas Dennerby was nominated for Women’s Coach of the Year as was Eagles coach Gernot Rohr in the men’s category.
Nigeria will battle Algeria, Madagascar, Senegal and Tunisia in the African Men’s National Team of the Year category.
Nigeria were also nominated for African Women’s National Team of the Year alongside Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia.
Meanwhile, no team and player from the Nigeria Professional Football League were nominated in the 2019 Interclubs POTY and African Interclubs Player of the Year awards.
Lobi Stars and Rangers were Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF club competitions – Champions League and Confederation Cup respectively – but failed to progress beyond the group stage.
CAF said the 28th edition of the annual football awards will take place on January 7, 2020, at Citadel Azure, Hurghada, Egypt.