By Nurudeen Obalola
Ademola Lookman has won the 2024 CAF Awards African Player of the Year prize, beating four other finalists at Monday’s ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco.
The Super Eagles and Atalanta forward has succeeded his Nigeria international teammate Victor Osimhen after earning more votes from African national team coaches and captains than Achraf Hakimi, Simon Adingra, Serhou Guirassy and Ronwen Wlliams.
Lookman, 27, has had an excellent 2024, beginning the year by scoring three goals to inspire Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations final in Cote d’Ivoire.
He was included in the Team of the Tournament even as the Super Eagles lost the final to the hosts, and he followed up with some greater achievements.
Lookman scored the first-ever hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final to steer Atalanta to their first European success as the Italian club defeated previously unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.
In recognition of his outstanding year, Lookman was the only African player among the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees for 2024, and he finished 14th in the voting.
Monday night’s award crowned a remarkable year for the former Charlton Athletic, Everton, RB Leipzig and Leicester City star who has consistently delivered for the Super Eagles and Atalanta in 2024.
Lookman showed up for the CAF Awards in a shiny green regal traditional agbada of his Yoruba culture and began his acceptance speech in the language of his parents, who migrated to the United Kingdom, where he was born.
It was a great night for Nigeria as Chiamaka Nnadozie was named African Women’s Player of the Year for the second successive year and the Super Falcons voted Women’s National Team of the Year.
In other categories, Zambia’s Barbara Banda won the Women’s Player of the Year ahead of Nnadozie, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams won the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year prize, Cote d’Ivoire’s AFCON-winning Emerson Fae clinched the Men’s Coach of the Year award, with the Elephants beating the Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana to the Men’s National Team honour.
2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS
CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)
CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)
CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)
CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)
CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)
CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)
CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)
CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)
CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)
CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)
CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Cote d’Ivoire
CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Nigeria
CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Al Ahly (Egypt)
CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
CAF REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Mutaz Ibrahim (Libya)
CAF REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)
CAF ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue (Cameroon)
CAF ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)
CAF GOAL OF THE YEAR
Mabululu (Angola)
