The CAF Awards 2022 took place in Morocco on the night of Thursday 21st July. Several individual and collective honours were given to both deserving footballers and teams in the continent as an appreciation for their performance in the past year.
About 48 hours to the ceremony, CAF issued their final list of nominees. Several names were excluded and many others were also drafted in due to the popular demand of Africans through a voting process.
The biggest award for the CAF Awards 2022, the African Footballer of the year had mainly old names. There was just one new name included and this did not really pose a threat to the already existing Sadio Mané and Mohammed Salah.
Nigeria had just one name included as nominee for the African Footballer of the Year in the female category. She wrote her name in the history book of African football.
There were no much surprises. The expectations of African football lovers were granted and awards were given to deserving footballers in the Continent.
CAF Team of The Year (Male Category)
African Champions Senegal waded off competitions from both Cameroon and Egypt to be crowned Team of the year in the male category.
Following their heroics in Cameroon where they were crowned African Champions, the Terenga Lions were deemed fit to be called Best team of the Year as they have got the best set of players in the continent.
The likes of Sadio Mané (Bayern Munich), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Kalidou Koulibaly ( Chelsea), Sarr (Bayern) and many other stars who are making waves in Europe have their names in the Senegalese list; not just that, they also won the top prize in male football in the Continent.
Best Player of the Year (Male)
Mohammed Salah of Egypt and Sadio Mané of Senegal were toe-to-toe in the male category of Africa’s top prize. Mané however came up top as always.
Mané has now defeated Salah on three big occasions after leading Senegal to the AFCON victory against Egypt, the Bayern Munich new acquisition also led Senegal to upset Egypt and qualify to the FIFA World Cup at the expense of Egypt.
He has again defeated Salah and his teammate Edouard Mendy to be crowned African Player of the year in the male category after polling the highest number of votes.
Best Player Of The Year (Female)
It was a record-breaking event as Nigeria Super Falcons Star, Asisat Oshoala was named the African Footballer of the Year in the female category for a record five times.
No footballer in Africa has ever won the award more than four times, but Oshoala after beating competitions from both Ajara Nchout Njoya who plays for the Cameroon National team and Internazionale Milano in Italy and Grace Chanda of Zambia who also plays for BIIK Kazygurt was named.
Oshoala was the La Liga Women highest goalscorer in the just concluded season but played just few minutes for Nigeria in the ongoing Women African Cup Of Nations after being sidelined by injuries.
The injuries did not stop her from scooping the award in the CAF Awards 2022 for a record time and the Barcelona forward took out time to appreciate her teammates and all her supporters.
CAF Awards 2022 Coach of The Year (Male)
Senegal Coach, Aliou Cisse who helped the Terenga Lions to glory at the 2021 AFCON was named coach of the year in the male category.
Cisse took up a difficult job to lead the team to glory after his heroics during his playing days and he delivered while also taking the team to the FIFA World Cup.
Coach of The Year (Female)
One name has always been on the list since the introduction of this award three years ago.
South Africa women coach, Desiree Elis was named a record Coach of the year in the female category for the CAF Awards 2022. She’s won this award three times in a row now.
Young Player Of The Year (Male)
Pape Matar Sarr of Senegal who also ply his trade with Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur was named the Young player of the year in the male category.
Sarr saw off competitions from Manchester United’s Hannibal Mejbri who took part in the just concluded African Cup of Nations for Tunisia and Karim Konate of Cote d’Ivoire who is in the books for ASEC/RB Salzburg.
Sarr was part of the Senegal team that were crowned African Champions and took active part en route that triumph.
Young Player Of The Year (Female) & Interclub Player Of The Year (Female)
Evelyn Badu of Ghana was named both the interclub player of the year and Young player of the year in the female category.
Badu was instrumental for Ghana in their Women African Cup of Nations outing and her club Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes.
CAF Awards 2022 Interclub Player of The Year (Male)
Egyptian legendary goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy won the interclub best player of the year in the male category.
His amazing performance in the CAF Champions league for his club Al Ahly of Egypt helped him defeat club teammate Aliou Dieng of Mali and Achraf Dari of Morocco who plays for Wydad Athletic Club.
Goal Of The Year
Pape Ousmane Sakho of Senegal won the Goal of the year award with his acrobatic effort for his club Simba FC of Tanzania.
This individual award makes it five awards for Senegal in all the categories.
CAF Awards 2022 For Club Of The Year
CAF Champions League winner Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco were winners of the Club of the year award in the male category following their heroics in the CAF Champions league as Mamelodi Sundowns were crowned club of the year in the female category.
The event which was hosted in Morocco witnessed several records set by the likes of Oshoala and Elis. New winners were also brought into the fold.
The event was witnessed by African Football legends with the like Nigeria’s Jay Jay Okocha and Senegal’s El Hadji Diouf as well as many others.
