Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool FC both lost out on the 2023 African Ballon d’Or. Napoli striker Victor Osimhen received the prize for best African player of the year.

Oshimen’s individual accomplishments include winning the 2022-23 Serie A title with Napoli, defeating league heavyweights such as Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan.

Last season, the Nigerian was instrumental in the achievement, scoring 26 goals and registering five assists in Serie A. As a result, it’s likely that it helped him beat out Liverpool and PSG talents.

Despite this, Salah and Hakimi were named to the Men’s CAF 2023 Best XI of the Year, which may act as a consolation trophy for honoring both players’ years.

With the African Cup of Nations coming up in a few weeks, the competition’s champion will undoubtedly have an advantage in winning the 2024 African Ballon d’Or.