Ademola Lookman has been awarded the prestigious title of 2024 African Player of the Year at the Confederation of African Football Awards held in Marrakech on Monday. Lookman, a key player for Atalanta, stood out among formidable competitors, including Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra.
The 27-year-old forward’s remarkable season featured a standout performance in the Europa League final, where he scored a hat-trick, driving Atalanta to victory over Bayer Leverkusen. Additionally, Lookman played a crucial role in helping Nigeria reach the finals of the African Cup of Nations, scoring three goals along the way.
In the women’s category, Zambia’s Barbra Banda was recognized as the African Women’s Player of the Year after her stellar season with Orlando Pride, where she netted the decisive goal in the NWSL Championship against Kansas City.
Lookman’s accolade marks him as the seventh Nigerian to receive this honor, following Victor Osimhen, last year’s winner. Reflecting on his journey, Lookman acknowledged his earlier challenges in the Premier League, urging young athletes to transform their setbacks into motivation for success.
The complete list of winners from the CAF Awards includes:
– Men’s Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria & Atalanta)
– Women’s Player of the Year: Barbra Banda (Zambia & Orlando Pride)
– Men’s Coach of the Year: Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast)
– Women’s Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)
– Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
– Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chimaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC)
– Men’s Club of the Year: Al Ahly
– Women’s Club of the Year: TP Mazembe
– Men’s Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
– Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco, AS Far)
– Men’s Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara (Senegal, Monaco)
– Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani (Morocco, AS Far)
– Men’s National Team of the Year: Ivory Coast
– Women’s National Team of the Year: Nigeria
Lookman concluded his acceptance speech on a motivational note, emphasizing resilience and the importance of perseverance in overcoming adversity.
