CAF SHOCKINGLY SNUBS ESTHER OKORONKWO FROM CAF BEST AWARD FINAL THREE DESPITE HER OUTSTANDING SEASON

CAF has once again found itself at the center of controversy after leaving out Super Falcons star and AFC Toronto forward Esther Okoronkwo from the final three shortlist for the Women’s Player of the Year award, a decision many fans are calling nothing short of daylight robbery.

How a player with one of the most dominant seasons in African women’s football could be overlooked so casually, while everyone stays silent, remains a mystery that raises serious questions about transparency, consistency, and fairness in CAF’s award system.

Despite outshining her competitors by a massive margin, CAF opted for Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak, who registered 8 goals and 2 assists in 34 matches, and Sanaâ Mssoudy with 3 goals and 1 assist in 11 games over Esther, whose season numbers were on an entirely different level: 29 goal contributions in just 31 matches for club and country.

Esther Okoronkwo took to her Instagram story to express her disappointment with maturity and composure.

Her message was powerful, controlled, and deeply telling:

I remain grateful for the support across Africa.
CAF’s decision is noted, but my focus stays on the pitch, where recognition is earned, not awarded.

Awards don’t always reflect reality, but the pitch never lies.

A response filled with class, the kind you can only expect from a player who knows her worth and understands that true excellence doesn’t need validation.

Yet the question still stands: How does CAF get away with these decisions so openly, and why is everyone so quiet about it?

Time and time again, Nigerian players outperform their counterparts, dominate tournaments, and deliver consistently on the biggest stages, only to be ignored when it matters most.

It has begun to feel like a pattern, a culture of disregard that no one is willing to challenge.

🇳🇬 ESTHER OKORONKWO — SEASON STATISTICS 🇳🇬

📊 31 Matches Played
⚽ 14 Goals Scored
🎯 16 Assists Provided

🏆 WAFCON 2024 Champion
🛡 NSL 2025 Shield Winner
🥇 NSL 2025 Assist Leader
🥈 NSL 2025 Playoffs Silver Medalist

What more could CAF possibly want from a finalist?

Esther was sensational at WAFCON, decisive, influential, and constantly delivering in pressure moments.

She carried that form straight into her club season with consistency that very few players on the continent could match.

For her to be excluded from the top 3 is not just disappointing, it’s disrespectful to her hard work, her talent, and everything she achieved this season.

Esther Okoronkwo deserved better, African football deserves fairness not politics and popularity contests.