Fans have voted for their UEFA European Conference League goal of the tournament with Nigeria national team players Terem Moffi and Samuel Chukwueze missing out on the award.
Both players made the top ten selected by UEFA’s technical observers' committee among the best goals scored in the 2022/23 edition of Europe’s third-division tournament. However, the UEFA technical observers’ list was upturned by fan votes and the award was given to Sivasspor’s Erdoğan Yeşilyurt for his long-range belter against Fiorentina in the round of 16.
The positions of the Super Eagles‘ superstars' goals were also changed in the final voting.
Moffi, Chukwueze finish in third and tenth place in Conference League goal of the tournament voting
Terem Moffi and fellow Super Eagles teammate Samuel Chukwueze were both nominated alongside eight others for the Conference League goal of the tournament by the UEFA technical observers committee.
They ranked first and fourth on the technical observers’ list but UEFA presented the list to the fans to vote on which goals were their favourite. The award was given to Yeşilyurt after voting wrapped up on Tuesday making his goal the number one goal of the season in the competition.
🏅 Erdoğan Yeşilyurt's long-range effort is your #UECL Goal of the Tournament 👏⚽️#UECLGOTT || @Heineken pic.twitter.com/wbJwyu5s9P
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) June 12, 2023
The result meant that Moffi could not get the unanimous vote for the goal of the tournament, which sees him miss out on another award despite a brilliant season for FC Lorient and OGC Nice. Moffi scored 21 goals and provided three assists in the 2022/23 season. Three of those goals were for Nice in the Conference League and one of them was nominated for the award which Yeşilyurt won by fan votes.
Moffi also lost out on the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé award given to the best African player in France, as Chancel Mbemba of Olympique de Marseille pipped him to it.
Chukwueze, meanwhile, will take solace in being named the LaLiga African player of the season, which is the second-ever African player of the season award to be given by the Spanish top flight.
Sports247 Nigeria – Nigerian Striker Terem Moffi Secures Spot On Ligue 1 Uber Eats’ African Best XI Of The Season > https://t.co/wLOOiwoQxM
Nigerian striker Terem Moffi has secure… pic.twitter.com/fFhKJwZw58— Sports247 Naija (@Sports247Naija) June 12, 2023
Conference League goal of the season rankings before and after fan votes
The UEFA technical observers’ rankings were as follows:
- Terem Moffi (Basel 2-2 Nice) – Quarter-finals, 13/04/2023
- Ciro Immobile (Lazio 1-0 CFR Cluj) – Knockout round play-offs, 16/02/2023
- Andy Diouf (Basel 2-2 Žalgiris) – Matchday 5, 27/10/2022
- Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal 4-3 Lech) – Matchday 1, 08/09/2022
- Erdoğan Yeşilyurt (Sivasspor 1-4 Fiorentina) – Round of 16, 16/03/2023
- Riccardo Saponara (RFS 0-3 Fiorentina) – Matchday 6, 03/11/2022
- Christian Kouamé (Hearts 0-3 Fiorentina) – Matchday 3, 06/10/2022
- Jarrod Bowen (West Ham 4-0 AEK Larnaca) – Round of 16, 16/03/2023
- Declan Rice (West Ham 4-1 Gent) – Quarter-finals, 20/04/2023
- Andy Diouf (Fiorentina 1-2 Basel) – Semi-finals, 11/05/2023
The list after the fan votes is as follows:
- Erdoğan Yeşilyurt (Sivasspor 1-4 Fiorentina) – Round of 16, 16/03/2023
- Declan Rice (West Ham 4-1 Gent) – Quarter-finals, 20/04/2023
- Terem Moffi (Basel 2-2 Nice) – Quarter-finals, 13/04/2023
- Andy Diouf (Fiorentina 1-2 Basel) – Semi-finals, 11/05/2023
- Jarrod Bowen (West Ham 4-0 AEK Larnaca) – Round of 16, 16/03/2023
- Riccardo Saponara (RFS 0-3 Fiorentina) – Matchday 6, 03/11/2022
- Andy Diouf (Basel 2-2 Žalgiris) – Matchday 5, 27/10/2022
- Christian Kouamé (Hearts 0-3 Fiorentina) – Matchday 3, 06/10/2022
- Ciro Immobile (Lazio 1-0 CFR Cluj) – Knockout round play-offs, 16/02/2023
- Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal 4-3 Lech) – Matchday 1, 08/09/2022
This article was most recently revised and updated 5 months ago
