CAF Awards: Amunike shaped my career – Osimhen appreciates former coach

Victor Osimhen, a Super Eagles forward, has acknowledged the influence of Nigerian icon and former Golden Eaglets coach Emmanuel Amunike on his career.

He claimed that if it hadn’t been for Amunike, he would not have become the successful footballer he is today.

On Monday night, the Napoli striker declared this when accepting the African Men’s Footballer of the Year award at the CAF Awards in Morocco.

“I want to appreciate Emmanuel Amunike, without him, I will not be here.

“Drogba is my role model. I love you all,” he said.

Kanyidaily reports that Osimhen broke a 24-year jinx to become the first Nigerian player to win the African Men’s Footballer of the Year award since Nwankwo Kanu last won it in 1999.

Osimhen won the award over Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s World Cup star, Achraf Hakimi.

He is also the sole Nigerian on the CAF 2023 Best XI (Men).

Osimhen made his breakthrough in 2015, as he led the Nigerian U-17 team to victory in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, for which he received the Golden Boot and the Silver Ball.

Amunike was the winning coach of Nigeria’s U-17 team.

Kanyidaily recalls that Osimhen And Oshoala won African footballer of the year and it has generated congratulatory messages.