- Yaya Touré has acknowledged that John Obi-Mikel rightfully earned the title of 2013 CAF Men’s Player of the Year.
- Mikel has joined the ranks of notable Nigerian celebrities who haven't been granted the esteemed individual CAF award throughout their careers.
- Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman have recently reinstated Nigeria's pride by consecutively claiming the award.
Nigerian soccer players have continually impressed in their clubs and for national teams, but they haven’t received proportional acknowledgment from the esteemed CAF African Player of the Year accolade.
Although Nigeria has seen some achievements with players such as Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Amunike, and Rashidi Yekini claiming the title before, the nation has mostly faced disappointment over the years.
Not long ago, ex-Ivorian legend Yaya Toure mentioned during an appearance on the ObiOne podcast that Mikel deserved to win the 2013 title, which has reignited disappointment among numerous Nigerian soccer supporters.
Even though Victor Osimhen broke the streak for Super Eagles players in 2023, he became the first Nigerian male footballer to claim the CAF award in 24 years since Kanu Nwankwo achieved this feat back in 1999.
Ademola Lookman created history for Nigeria by becoming the nation's second successive winner of the accolade, overthrowing Osimhen to claim the title in 2024. This marked Nigeria as the first country to produce back-to-back victors for this honor.
4 Nigerian Players Robbed by CAF
Diwida >.ng examines four cases where Super Eagles players were potentially snubbed by CAF for Africa’s premier individual soccer award.
1. John Obi Mikel – 2013
Straight from a remarkable year during which he claimed victory at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Nigeria and was instrumental in Chelsea’s success at the UEFA Europa League, John Obi Mikel appeared to be the obvious favorite for the 2013 CAF award.
Throughout AFCON, he demonstrated his prowess as a central midfielder and also excelled on the European platform.
Nevertheless, the award was presented to Yaya Touré, an undoubtedly talented player, yet he hadn’t reached the level of collective and continental accomplishments achieved by Mikel that year.
Toure has since acknowledged that Mikel rightfully deserved the award, casting this omission as one of CAF’s most contentious choices.
2. Jay-Jay Okocha – 2004
The highly skilled Jay-Jay Okocha was unstoppable in 2004.
He guided Nigeria to secure a third-place spot at the Africa Cup of Nations, netting four goals and impressing everyone with his signature style throughout the competition.
In his time at Bolton Wanderers, the agile playmaker guided the team to the finals of the English League Cup and maintained their competitiveness in the Premier League.
Instead, CAF presented the accolade to Cameroonian forward Samuel Eto'o, whose performances were not as spectacular compared to Okocha’s remarkable displays throughout the year.
A lot of supporters continue to see this as an injustice against one of Africa’s most talented performers.
3. Obafemi Martins – 2006
Just at the age of 21, Obafemi Martins experienced a remarkable season with Inter Milan, consistently finding the back of the net in both Serie A and the UEFA Champions League.
Martins played a crucial role in Nigeria's journey to qualify for the World Cup.
Even though he was in outstanding form and had an impressive goal count, the accolade went to Didier Drogba, leaving the Super Eagles forward in third place.
While Drogba had a strong case, Martins' rise and performance were arguably more impactful that year, especially considering his youth and consistency across competitions.
4. Vincent Enyeama – 2014
Goalkeepers seldom attract attention, yet Vincent Enyeama managed to grab everyone’s focus in 2014.
The goalkeeper from Lille maintained 21 clean sheets in Ligue 1, nearly securing a Champions League position for his team, and he also excelled spectacularly representing Nigeria at the World Cup.
Even though he was brilliant, Enyeama came in third place after Yaya Touré and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Numerous commentators and supporters felt he deserved to secure the highest honor for revolutionizing performance as a goalkeeper.
Okocha expresses disappointment over missing out on the CAF award.
Earlier, Diwida >.ng It was reported that Okocha spoke about how CAF prevented him from having the chance to win the African Footballer of the Year award during his career.
He was so impressive he earned two names; Okocha stands out as one of the most gifted African football players in history, yet he fell short of securing the prestigious individual accolade.
