Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman has been named the 2024 African Player of the Year at the prestigious Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards. The ceremony, held in the vibrant city of Marrakech, celebrated the best talents across African football.
Lookman, who plays for Italian club Atalanta, had an exceptional year, dazzling fans with his agility, speed, and goal-scoring prowess. His remarkable contributions were pivotal in Atalanta’s success in Serie A and Nigeria’s qualification for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In May, Lookman made history by becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Europa League final, leading Atalanta to a stunning 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. This triumph ended Leverkusen’s 51-match unbeaten streak, cementing Lookman’s reputation as one of football’s brightest stars.
During the CAF Awards, Lookman faced fierce competition from top players, including Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, and Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra. His victory highlights his consistent brilliance across domestic and international competitions.
Upon receiving the award, Lookman dedicated the honor to his teammates, family, and fans, saying their support had been crucial to his journey.
The event also honored other football stars and teams:
- Zambia’s Barbra Banda won Women’s Player of the Year.
- Nigeria’s women’s team secured the Women’s National Team of the Year title.
- Senegal’s Lamine Camara was named Men’s Young Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.
- The CAF Awards continue to spotlight Africa’s outstanding football achievements and talents, with Lookman’s victory serving as an inspiration to aspiring players across the continent.
- Other award winners include:
- 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 is the Women’s Player of the Year – Zambia
- The Women’s National Team of the Year is 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚.
- The Men’s Young Player of the Year, for the second year in a row, is 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚 – Senegal.
- The Women’s Young Player of the Year is 𝐃𝐨𝐡𝐚 𝐄𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐢 – Morocco.
- The Men’s Club of the Year is 𝐀𝐥 𝐀𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐂 – Egypt.
- The Women’s Club of the Year is TP Mazembe – Congo
- The Men’s Interclub Player of the Year is 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐰𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐬 – South Africa
- The Women’s Interclub Player of the Year is 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐚 𝐌𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐲 – Morocco
- The Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year is Chiamaka Nnadozie – Nigeria
- The Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year is Ronwen Williams
- The Men’s Coach of the Year is 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐞 – Cote d’Ivoire
- The Women’s Coach of the Year is 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐡𝐝𝐢 – TP Mazembe
- The Goal of the Year is Cristovao 𝗠𝗮𝗯𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗹𝘂 – Angola
