Nigeria internationals Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie have been named as finalists for the Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year at the 2024 CAF Awards, Afrosport reports.
This edition of the CAF Awards, which cuts across the period from January to October 2024, is scheduled to be held at the prestigious Palais des Congres in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday, 16 December.
Lookman enjoyed a spectacular campaign with both the Super Eagles and Atalanta, leading the Italian club to UEFA Europa League triumph, including scoring a historic hat-trick in the final.
The 27-year-old scored 17 goals and provided 10 assists in the 2023-24 season for Atalanta and was instrumental to Nigeria’s silver medal run at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored three goals.
According to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday, the votes to select the three finalists from an initial five-man shortlist were even, which means Lookman will still have to contend with Ivorian Simon Adingra, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, Serhou Guirassy of Guinea and Morocco international Achraf Hakimi.
The race is intense, the votes are distributed evenly and we’re in for 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝. 👀
Ladies and gentlemen, your Men’s Player of the Year ̶T̶o̶p̶ ̶3̶ Top 5. 🌟#CAFAwards2024 | @SSFootball pic.twitter.com/LSgVlAMpra
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) December 12, 2024
Meanwhile, Nnadozie leads the shortlist for the Women’s African Player of the Year, having already been nominated for the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
The Super Falcons goalkeeper will battle Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Zambia international Barbra Banda, who was recently named to the FIFPRO Women’s World XI.
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻) – 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀#CAFAwards2024 | @SSFootball pic.twitter.com/yXoTplr4S2
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) December 12, 2024
The winners of each category will be determined through votes from the CAF Technical Committee, media professionals, head coaches and captains of member associations, as well as clubs participating in the group stages of Interclub competitions.
Full nominees for 2024 CAF Awards
Player of the Year (Men)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea)
Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Player of the Year (Women)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)
Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco)
Barbra Banda (Zambia)
Goalkeeper of the Year (Men)
Andre Onana (Manchester United/Cameroon)
Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa)
Yahia Fofana (Angers/Ivory Coast)
Goalkeeper of the Year (Women)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC/Nigeria)
Khadija Er-Rmichi (AS FAR/Morocco)
Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa)
Coach of the Year (Men)
Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast)
Sebastien Desabre (DR Congo)
Hugo Broos (South Africa)
Coach of the Year (Women)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)
Ahmed Ramadan (FC Masar)
Mohamed Amine Alioua (AS FAR)
Thinasonke Mbuli (University of Western Cape)
National Team of the Year (Men)
Nigeria
Ivory Coast
South Africa
National Team of the Year (Women)
Nigeria
Morocco
South Africa
Young Player of the Year (Men)
Karim Konate (Ivory Coast)
Oumar Diakite (Ivory Coast)
Lamine Camara (Senegal)
Young Player of the Year (Women)
Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Nigeria)
Habiba Sabry (Egypt)
Doha El Madani (Morocco)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Lacho Flora Marta (TP Mazembe/DR Congo)
Doha El Madani (AS FAR/Morocco)
Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR/Morocco)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men)
Ahmed ‘Zizou’ Sayed (Zamalek/Egypt)
Hussein El Shahat (Al Ahly/ Egypt)
Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa)
Club of the Year (Men)
Zamalek (Egypt)
Al Ahly (Egypt)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Club of the Year (Women)
Edo Queens (Nigeria)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
AS FAR (Morocco)
