Ademola Lookman on Monday ensured the title of Africa’s best men’s player remained in Nigeria as he was named Player of the Year at the 2024 CAF Awards held at the prestigious Palais des Congres in Marrakech, Morocco.
Lookman, who has been in red-hot form for both club and country, beat four other top African football stars to the honour, including Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Ivorian Simon Adingra, Guinean forward Serhou Guirassy, and South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
When the stars align, they spell 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧. 🌟
Ladies and gentlemen, your Men’s Player of the Year! 🏆#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/xtHxJozThj
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) December 16, 2024
The 27-year-old was instrumental to the Super Eagles run at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where they finished as runners-up behind the hosts.
Lookman also enjoyed immense success with Italian club Atalanta, leading them to their first European title following a 3-0 win over then-undefeated Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League final, with the Nigerian scoring all three goals.
The Nigerian forward scored 17 goals and provided 10 assists in the 2023-24 season for Atalanta and has already notched 11 goals and five assists in 19 matches across all competitions this campaign.
He becomes the seventh Nigerian to win the CAF African Player of the Year award, following in the footsteps of Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike, Nwankwo Kanu (twice), Victor Ikpeba, and Victor Osimhen.
Lookman’s triumph also marked the third time the award will be won by a Nigerian in back-to-back years, after Yekini and Amunike won it in 1993 & 1994, and Kanu and Ikpeba won it in 1996 & 1997 respectively.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Barbra Banda capped off a successful year with yet another award as she was named the Women’s Player of the Year.
Banda edged Sanaa Mssoudy of Morocco and Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to win the award for the first time, ending Asisat Oshoala’s dominance after the Nigerian picked up the accolade in the past three years as well as five of the last six.
Shining bright as always! 🌟
𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 is the Women’s Player of the Year after a season of stellar performances!#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/OIhXql2dgf
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) December 16, 2024
