Nigerian striker Victor Boniface has opened up after missing out on the nominees for the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award.

Despite having a great campaign with Bayer Leverkusen last season, the 23-year-old was conspicuously missing from CAF's 10-man shortlist for the prestigious award released last month.

Boniface's omission can largely be attributed to his absence at the delayed edition of the 2023 African Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast earlier this year.

The former Royal Union SG striker was ruled out of what could have been his first Nations Cup due to an injury he sustained at the Super Eagles camp a few days before the tournament.

At the club level, Boniface had an excellent campaign with Leverkusen, helping the club win their first-ever Bundesliga title and the DFB Pokal.

Despite being ruled out for over two months, Boniface was Leverkusen's top scorer last season, contributing 21 goals and 10 assists for Xabi Alonso's side.

Speaking on being left out of the nominees for the 2024 CAF Awards, which will be held in Marrakech, Morocco next month, the Super Eagles striker expressed his disappointment.

"I'm not sad, but disappointed because I had an amazing season last year. So, for me not to be there—maybe the award is for Africa's player at AFCON, I don't know. But in general, it's for African Player of the Year, and I think I had a great season, so it doesn't really matter.

"I don't need to prove anything to anybody. I don't really care about awards and stuff. Of course, as a football player, I want to improve and do more for myself."