by Ola Williams-
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled the final list of nominees for the 2024 CAF Awards, celebrating the best of African football talent. Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman is among the five contenders for the prestigious “Men’s Player of the Year” award.
The 27-year-old dazzled at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, netting three goals and providing an assist as the Super Eagles secured a second-place finish.
Lookman also made history with Atalanta, scoring a memorable hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final. He will face competition from Simon Adingra, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, and Ronwen Williams.
Speaking on his nomination, Lookman expressed gratitude: “It’s an honor to be recognized among Africa’s best. This motivates me to keep pushing and achieving more.”
In the “Goalkeeper of the Year” category, Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali missed out on the final shortlist. The nominees include Andre Onana (Cameroon/Manchester United), Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns), and Yahia Fofana (Cote d’Ivoire/Angers SCO).
For the “Women’s Player of the Year”, Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie made the final three. She will compete against Zambia’s prolific forward Barbara Banda and Morocco’s rising star Sanna Mssoudy.
Nnadozie reacted to her nomination with pride: “Being nominated is a testament to the hard work we put in every day. I dedicate this to my teammates and all Nigerian women in sports.”
Both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons have been nominated for “National Team of the Year”.
The Super Eagles will vie for the title against the African champions Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire and Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons will contend with South Africa’s Banyana Banyana and Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses. The CAF Awards 2024 promises to be a celebration of African football excellence, showcasing the continent’s remarkable talents and achievements.
