2024 CAF Awards: Lookman poised for African Player of the Year glory

Nigeria’s dynamic winger Ademola Lookman is widely expected to be named the 2024 African Player of the Year on Monday night at the CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco.

Lookman’s stellar performances this year have established him as the frontrunner for the prestigious accolade. He played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s journey to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final and was instrumental in Atalanta’s UEFA Europa Cup triumph. The 27-year-old netted a hat-trick in Atalanta’s 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the final, capping off an unforgettable season.

This season, Lookman has continued his remarkable form, scoring 11 goals and registering five assists in 18 appearances across all competitions for Atalanta. Among his standout moments is a crucial goal against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. On the international stage, Lookman scored twice to help Nigeria secure qualification for the 2025 AFCON.

None of the other four finalists for the CAF Awards has a record that matches Lookman’s brilliance. Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, who shone in his country’s 2023 AFCON final victory over Nigeria in Abidjan on February 11, has been impressive with Brighton in the English Premier League but lacks Lookman’s silverware and statistical impact.

Nigeria and Ivory Coast have a history of neck-and-neck competition in African football. Both nations boast three AFCON titles and have claimed the African Player of the Year award six times each since CAF took over the honours in 1992. Cameroon leads the all-time tally with 11 titles, including Samuel Eto’o’s four-time reign, while Ghana follows with five, including Abedi Pele’s treble.

A win for Lookman on Monday night would move Nigeria to second place in the Player of the Year count. Previous Nigerian winners include; Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Nwankwo Kanu (1996 and 1999), Victor Ikpeba (1997), and Victor Osimhen (2023). Lookman would also become the second consecutive Nigerian to win the award, following Osimhen. Ivory Coast’s six titles have been claimed by Yaya Touré (four) and Didier Drogba (two).

Meanwhile, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, despite a dazzling 2023 AFCON qualifying campaign, failed to lead Guinea to the finals and has had an underwhelming season with Borussia Dortmund. South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Cameroon’s Andre Onana, and Ivorian Yahia Fofana are contenders for the Goalkeeper of the Year award, while Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi appears less likely to make a mark in this year’s Player of the Year category.

Victory for Lookman would affirm Nigeria’s resurgence in African football, solidifying the country’s growing dominance on the continental stage.

Chiamaka Nnadozie: Strong Contender for Women’s Player of the Year

In the Women’s Player of the Year category, Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is a formidable contender. Following in the footsteps of compatriot Asisat Oshoala, who won the award for the sixth time last year, Nnadozie has enjoyed a remarkable year. She played a crucial role in Nigeria’s Super Falcons return to the Olympic Football Tournament after a 16-year absence and guided the team to qualification for the next AFCON. Her impressive performances with French club Paris FC have garnered widespread acclaim. Nnadozie faces stiff competition from Moroccan Sanâa Mssoudy and Zambian Barbra Banda.

Goalkeeper of the Year: Nnadozie Looks to Retain Her Crown

Nnadozie is also a strong contender to retain her Goalkeeper of the Year award, facing competition from Andile Dlamini of South Africa and Khadija Er-Rmichi of Morocco.

Furthermore, Nigerian interest extends to the Women’s Young Player of the Year category, with former junior international Chiamaka Okwuchukwu vying for the award against Egyptian Habiba Sabry and Morocco’s Doha El Madani. Notably, Asisat Oshoala was the inaugural winner of this category in 2021.

On the team front, Nigeria is well-represented. In the Men’s National Team of the Year category, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and South Africa (in their respective finishing order at the AFCON) are all in contention. In the Women’s category, Nigeria, the reigning champions and currently ranked as Africa’s number one team by FIFA, faces competition from Morocco and South Africa.

Nigerian club Edo Queens is also shortlisted for the Women’s Club of the Year award, alongside TP Mazembe of DR Congo and AS FAR of Morocco.

The possibility of a double victory for Nigeria, with Lookman and Nnadozie claiming the Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year awards respectively, echoes the historic achievements of Nwankwo Kanu and Mercy Akide-Udoh in 1999 and Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala in 2023.