The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards 2024 has come and gone, but the excitement is still thick in the air. Millions of Nigerians in the country and outside are still basking in the euphoria of seeing their son, Ademola Lookman named the 2024 African Ballon d’Or winner.
The CAF Award, an annual event organized by CAF to recognize and reward the best African players, coaches, and teams held in Marrakech, Morocco on December 16th, 2024. The most anticipated category was the CAF Awards 2024 Player of the Year (Men’s Category), which has been dominated by the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Riyad Mahrez, and Victor Osimhen in recent years.
However, after the CAF Awards 2024, a new name is now on the lips of football analysts, pundits and fans across the globe. This new name emerged as the newly crowned King for the coveted award, and he’s no other one than Nigeria and Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman. The Nigerian mesmerizing winger has been in scintillating form for his club and country, and his impressive performances have not gone unnoticed.
In this article, we’ll make a case for why Ademola Lookman won the CAF Awards 2024 and explore the four other contenders who challenged him for the top prize.
Ademola Lookman: The Rise of a Superstar
Ademola Lookman has been one of the standout players in the African football scene this year. The 26-year-old winger has been in phenomenal form for his club, Atalanta, scoring crucial goals and providing assists that have helped his team climb up the Serie A table.
Lookman’s impressive performances have also earned him a regular call-up to the Nigerian national team, where he has been instrumental in helping the Super Eagles qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
His speed, skill, and goal-scoring ability make him a nightmare for opposing defenders, and his consistency has been impressive. Lookman’s rise to stardom has been swift, and he is undoubtedly one of the top African players in the world right now.
Other Contenders who slugged in out with Ademola Lookman for the CAF Awards 2024
While Ademola Lookman won the CAF Awards 2024, there were four other shortlisted players who challenged him for the top prize. The other four contenders tried beating the Nigerian jewel to the prize but failed. They are:
- Serhou Guirassy (Guinea): The 28-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward has been one of the top strikers in the German Bundesliga. He scored vital goals that helped Guinea secure qualification for the 2025 AFCON tournament to be held in Morocco.
- Ronwen Williams (South Africa): The 32-year-old shot-stopper who plies his trade for Mamelodi Sundowns, recently kept a clean sheet for his club in a 1-0 win over Raja Casablanca in a CAF Champions League Group match. Williams shone like a million stars at the last AFCON before his country lost on penalties to the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the semi-final stage.
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco): The 26-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender has been one of the top full-backs in the world this season, providing assists and scoring crucial goals for his club and country.
- Simon Adingra (Cote d’Ivoire): The 22-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion sleek winger tormented defenders at the last AFCON won by his country. However, his playing time for Brighton in the English Premier League (EPL) has been limited due to injuries and inconsistency.
The CAF Awards 2024 was an exciting event, with several top African players who vied for the top prize. While the four other notable contenders were topnotched, Ademola Lookman’s impressive performances for Atalanta in the Italian Seria A, and Nigeria, as well as his historic hat trick against invincible Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023/2024 UEFA Europa League final were more than enough credentials to land him the award.
Ultimately, the winner of the CAF Awards 2024, Ademola Lookman, was determined by the votes of the coaches and captains of the national teams, as well as a panel of media experts. One thing is certain: Ademola Lookman has had an incredible year, and he deserved to have won the 2024 Player of the Year (Men’s Category).
Notably to mention that it was not just about Ademola Lookman, Chiamaka Nnadozie won the best goalkeeper award (women category), while the Super Falcons were named the best national team (women category) at the CAF Awards.
Do you see Ademola Lookman doing a back-to-back like Yaya Toure or Sadio Mane at the 2025 CAF Awards?
