Finidi, Okocha, and other Super Eagles legend who missed out on CAF POTY Award

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards ceremony is scheduled to be held today, Monday, December 16th, in Marrakech, Morocco, where the continent's top footballing talents of 2024 will be recognised.

The most anticipated award is the African Player of the Year, with Ademola Lookman, Simon Adingra, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, and Ronwen Williams vying for the coveted title.

Nigeria's Ademola Lookman is the frontrunner for the award, hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year's winner, Victor Osimhen.

However, despite their immense talent and contributions to the game, some notable Super Eagles football legends have been snubbed and were never recognised with the prestigious CAF Player of the Year award.

It has been a bitter experience for some Nigerian players in the past, as they were left disappointed despite their heroics for club and country.

Here is a list of some Super Eagles stars who were snubbed at previous editions of the CAF Awards:

Widely regarded as one of Africa's greatest wingers, Finidi George enjoyed a highly successful career, most notably winning the UEFA Champions League with Ajax in 1995.

His exceptional performances attracted interest from giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) even ranked him as the 10th best African player of the 20th century. Despite these achievements, Finidi was never nominated for, let alone won, the CAF African Player of the Year award.

The omission of the former Super Eagles coach remains a significant and puzzling point of discussion in African football history.

A truly gifted playmaker, Okocha is recognised as one of Africa’s finest. Known for his mesmerizing dribbling skills, flair, and creativity, he had successful stints at clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Bolton Wanderers, leaving a lasting impact on European football.

Despite his brilliance, particularly his heroics during the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, Okocha was never able to win the African Player of the Year award.

Known as "Mathematical," Odegbami is considered one of Nigeria's greatest-ever players and is the Super Eagles' second-highest all-time goal scorer (23) behind Rashid Yekini (37).

He was a prolific goalscorer and is only the second player (after Laurent Pokou) to win back-to-back AFCON top scorer awards.

Notably, Odegbami was twice a runner-up for the CAF African Player of the Year award, finishing second in both 1977 and 1980.

Former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi was denied the 2013 African Player of the Year award, after he had an exceptional year, leading Nigeria to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

He spent 11 years at Chelsea, winning multiple titles, including two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the 2011–12 Champions League. After leaving Chelsea, he had brief spells with Tianjin TEDA, Middlesbrough, Trabzonspor, and Stoke City.

During his 14-year international career from 2005 to 2019, he earned 91 caps for Nigeria, scoring six goals.

The inclusion of these past examples serves as a reminder that even the most prestigious awards can sometimes overlook deserving candidates, and it adds another layer of context to the anticipation surrounding the CAF Awards ceremony later tonight.