Nigeria skipper, Wiliam Troost Ekong has won the Best Player of the Tournament in the just concluded 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Troost Ekong who scored three goals including a goal in their final 2-1 loss to Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday night emerged as the best player of the tournament with his outstanding performance throughout the tournament.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria lost to the Host Nation, Ivory Coast 2-1 after 90 minutes as the Elephants clinched a third Nations Cup Trophy after winning the trophy in 1992 and 2015. Nigeria opened the scoring in the 38th minute as Troost Ekong heads the ball into the net to give Nigeria the lead. The Host Nation continued to search for an equalizer before Franck Kessie scored in the 62nd minute, thanks to an assist from Brighton and Hove Winger, Simon Adingra. Sebastian Haller who was diagnosed with cancer in July 2022 scored the winning goal as Cote d’Ivoire was crowned the new champions of African Football.
The other awards of the night include Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament which was awarded to South African Goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, Young Player of the Tournament, Cote d’Ivoire’s Simon Adingra who also won the Man of the Match performance in the final. Equatorial Guinea Forward, Emilio Nsue won the tournament top scorer with 5 goals, Angola’s Gelson Dala and Egypt’s Mostafa Mohammed with the silver and bronze boots respectively with 4 goals.
Ivory Coast Interim Coach, Emerse Fae won the Best Coach of the Tournament after guiding the Host Nation to a 3rd Afcon title. The Ivory Coast Football Federation brought in Fae as a temporary replacement after the sacking of Frenchman, Jean-Louis Gasset midway through the tournament.
