Comparing Osimhen and Kudus in 2023: Who Has Had the Better Performance This Season?

• Victor Osimhen has been crowned Player of the Year in Italy
• Mohammed Kudus is having a good start to his life in England
• The two stars have both had an outstanding year in the sport

Super Eagles star, Victor Osimhen added another gong to his rich list of individual awards after being crowned the Player of the Year at the Italian FA's awards on Monday night in Milan.

The Napoli forward could end the year with another piece of individual silverware as he stands as a favourite to win the 2023 Africa Player of the Year.

Standing between him and the coveted award are former Manchester City winger, Riyad Mahrez and the reigning king of African football, Sadio Mane.

However, Mohammed Kudus seems to have entered the conversation about the best African players in Europe following his quick start to life in England with West Ham United.

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The Ghanaian midfielder is already a fan favourite and is gradually carving out a cult-hero status at the London Olympic Stadium.

Before arriving in England, Kudus had won everything with Ajax: two league titles and three KNVB Cups. He left on a high after scoring a hat-trick in his last game for the Dutch giants.

There has been talk about his performances and those of Osimhen. Sports Brief looks at the displays of both players in 2023 to determine who has had a better run.

Osimhen vs Kudus in their leagues

Osimhen etched his name as an Italian legend after leading Napoli to their first-ever league title in 33 years. He also won the Golden Boot, becoming the first African player to achieve that feat.

The Super Eagles forward played 32 matches, with two as a substitute. He had 55 shots on target from a total of 105 shots and scored 26 goals, leaving him with 24.28 xG, according to Infogol.

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The Nigerian also averaged 12 passes per match with a pass completion rate of 71% and had four assists.

Kudus, meanwhile, played 30 matches with 11 as a substitute. He had 24 shots on target from a total of 50 shots and scored 11 goals, leaving him with a 10.00 xG.

The Ghanaian averaged 21 passes per match with a pass completion rate of 88% and had 3 assists (also according to Infogol).

Osimhen vs Kudus in the UCL

Osimhen played six matches (plus one as a sub). He had eight shots on target from a total of 14 shots and scored five goals (4.91 xG). He averaged eight passes per match with a pass completion rate of 69% but had zero assists.

On the other hand, Kudus played six games, scoring four goals and providing six assists, per Footy Stats.

Interestingly Osimhen's Napoli and Kudus' Ajax were in the same UEFA Champions Leage group, as the Italians beat the Dutch giants to progress to the knockout stages.

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Osimhen vs Kudus with the national teams

Kudus enjoyed a decent year with the Black Stars, playing a role at the World Cup, where he emerged as the best player. He scored two goals and provided one assist at the tournament in Qatar.

Osimhen's Nigeria failed to qualify despite playing in both legs of the play-offs against Ghana. However, he was the top scorer in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, scoring 10 goals for the Super Eagles.

Osimhen vs Kudus in the 2023/24 season

Osimhen has battled injuries since the start of the new season, making only 10 appearances and scoring six goals in the league. He has yet to score in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, Kudus is having an amazing start to life in England and has already scored six goals across all competitions for the Hammers.

With only three weeks left for the year to end, both players can look back and be proud of their accomplishments. However, Osimhen could end it with a bigger accolade in Morocco next week.

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Osimhen wins Serie A Player of the Year award

Sports Brief also previously reported on Osimhen winning 'Player of the Year' in Serie A at the Gran Gala del Calcio ceremony.

The 24-year-old Nigerian star was adjudged the best player in the Italian top flight by the country's footballer association.

He helped lead Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years and also became the first African player to win the league Golden Boot.