Undoubtedly, the standout personality of Thursday’s event was Yaya Touré, who clinched the title of “Best African Player” for the third consecutive year. However, Nigeria, the host country for the 22nd awards ceremony celebrating the continent’s top performers, secured an impressive total of 5 trophies, including the prestigious CAF Platinum Prize presented to Head of State Goodluck Jonathan. Here is the complete list of the 2013 awards.
The evening commenced with the “Best National Team of the Year” accolade, rightfully bestowed upon the Super Eagles, champions of the 2013 CAN in South Africa. Additionally, Coach Stephen Keshi was honored as the “Best Coach on the Continent.”
Nigeria continued its triumphs with the “Best Young Team of the Year” award, recognizing the U17s who triumphed in the World Cup for their category the previous year. The team’s prolific scorer and standout player, Kelechi Iheanacho, received the well-deserved title of prospect of the year. The CAF Fair Play Award was proudly claimed by the Nigerian national team supporters’ group, acknowledged as the largest on the continent.
Moreover, Nigeria dominated the eleven-type of the year by featuring three outstanding players: goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, midfielder John Mikel Obi, and striker Emmanuel Emenik. The country’s remarkable achievements at the awards ceremony underscored its prominent position in African football during the specified year.
