Super Falcons’ Vice-captain and FC Barcelona talisman, Asisat Oshoala, was last night crowed 2022 African Women’s Player of the Year.
The 27-year-old picked the award ahead of Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon and Inter Milan) and Zambia international Grace Chanda (Zambia and BIIK Kazygurt).
With this, she becomes the first African to win this prestigious for a record five times, overtaking Perpetua Nkwocha who claimed the accolade on four occasions.
“It’s a record-breaking night for me and I want to thank everyone that has been in one way or the other involved in my career.
“My teammates at FC Barcelona and more importantly, the Super Falcons who had showed the whole world that they are still the best on the continent going by the performance they put up against the host, Morocco in the semi-final of WAFCON,” she said after she received the award.
The 2021-22 campaign was arguably Oshoala’s best yet as she played a key role in her Spanish side’s treble charge – the Spanish Women’s Super-cup, Copa de la Reina and the Primera Division.
Although, she missed a couple of matches due to injury, that did not stop her from emerging as league joint-top scorer after netting 20 goals in 19 league appearances to share the award with Brazilian Geyse Ferreira, who managed the same number of goals in 27 appearances for Madrid CFF.
Oshoala is the fourth Nigerian to land the women’s version of the award, following in the footsteps of Mercy Akide (2001), Nkwocha (2004, 2005, 2010 & 2011) and Cynthia Uwak (2006 & 2007).
