Nigeria and Barcelona talisman Asisat Oshoala has been named the 2022 African Women’s Player of the Year.
The striker has been recognised after playing a key role in the Blaugrana’s impressive outing of the 2021-22 campaign.
The 27-year-old picked the award on Thursday night 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.
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-topscorer 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.
Impressively, she scored a hat-trick against Real Betis and a double versus Real Sociedad, Valencia, Villarreal, and Real Betis.
In the Copa de la Reina, she scored in her only appearance in the tournament against Real Madrid – where she played for just 78 minutes.
Her side could have won a quadruple, but Barcelona lost 3-1 to Olympique Lyon at the Juventus Stadium in Turin.
Internationally, she contributed little as she did not score a single goal for the Super Falcons in the period under review.
To make things worse, she was ruled out of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2022 with Nigeria through injury after suffering a medial collateral ligament strain in the West African’s 2-1 defeat to South Africa in Rabat.
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).
Women’s Awards in Full
Club of the Year (Women) – Mamelodi Sundowns
Interclub Player of the Year (Women) – Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Young Player of the Year (Women) – Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Coach of the Year (Women) – Desiree Ellis (South Africa)