Nigeria, Nov. 4 -- Nigeria has suffered a major setback at the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards, failing to secure a single nomination across all seven men's categories unveiled by the continental football governing body on Wednesday.

The development represents a striking reversal for Nigerian football, which produced consecutive winners of the prestigious Men's Player of the Year award in 2023 and 2024 through Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.

However, neither the Galatasaray striker nor the Atletico Madrid forward made the 10-man shortlist for the 2026 edition, leaving Nigeria without representation in the continent's leading individual men's award.

The omission extends beyond the two former winners. No Nigerian ...