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By: Peter Akinbo.
Super Falcons legend, Mercy Akide-Udoh, is thrilled after Nigeria’s double swoop of the CAF Men and Women’s Player of The Year for a second time in history, The PUNCH reports.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as well as Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala won both awards for Nigeria at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, Morocco mirroring the feat Akide and Super Eagles icon, Nwankwo Kanu, achieved back in 1999 when they both completed the double.
Akide-Udoh won the first-ever Women’s Player of The Year award while Kanu lifted his second honours after winning a first in 1996.
The three-time WAFCON winner said she felt pleased about Nigeria’s recent victories, and stated her hope for future successes.
“I feel blessed to have been the first woman to win this award back then in 1999. Winning it at the same time with a legend and fellow Nigerian like (Nwankwo) Kanu was very special and I think it was the beginning of recognition for women’s football in Africa.
“I am excited that other Nigerians have done it again and I hope that we will see more of this in future. If anybody had told me that it would take so many years before another Nigerian man would win it again, I don’t think any of us would have believed it, but that’s football and God knows best,” she said.
Osimhen became the first Nigerian to win the Player of The Year award in 24 years, with no Eagle winning it since the 1999 double feat, while Oshoala claimed a record-extending sixth crown as the most successful women’s player in Africa.
