Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman was named African Footballer of Year by the Confederation of African Football at their awards ceremony on Monday.
The 27-year-old scored a hat-trick as his Italian club Atalanta won the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin in May and earlier in the year helped Nigeria reach the Africa Cup of Nations final in the Ivory Coast.
He netted three times at the Afcon tournament.
London-born Lookman, who has played in the English Premier League for Everton, Fulham and Leicester City, scored 17 goals for Atalanta last season and already has 11 in this campaign. He moved to the Serie A club in 2022.
“This award is a blessing, to be recognised as best player in Africa is something incredible,” he said.
“Four years ago my career felt down but now I’m here as the best player in Africa. Don’t let your failures stop your dreams.”
Lookman was named ahead of Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Serhou Guirassy of Guinea, Simon Adingra from the Ivory Coast and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
The award is voted for by a panel that includes national team coaches and captains, but no details of the voting tallies were immediately provided.
Lookman is the seventh Nigerian to take the award and succeeds last year’s winner Victor Osimhen.
Nwankwo Kanu (twice), Emmanuel Amunike, Victor Ikpeba and Rashidi Yekini are the other previous Nigerian winners.
Zambia’s Barbra Banda, 24, was named African Women’s Player of the Year. Two years ago she was left out of the squad for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals on gender eligibility grounds but was cleared by Fifa to compete at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and played at this year’s Paris Olympics.
CONFEDERATION OF AFRICAN FOOTBALL (CAF) 2024 AWARD WINNERS:
Men
Player of the Year
Ademola Lookman (NGR)
Club Player of the Year
Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns/RSA)
Goalkeeper of the Year
Ronwen Williams (RSA)
Young Player of the Year
Lamine Camara (SEN)
Coach of the Year
Emerse Fae (CIV)
National Team of the Year
Ivory Coast
Club of the Year
Al Ahly (EGY)
Best X1
Andre Onana (CMR); Achraf Hakimi (MAR), Kalidou Koulibaly (SEN), Chancel Mbemba (COD); Mohammed Kudus (GHA), Sofyan Amrabat (MAR), Franck Kessie (CIV), Yves Bissouma (MLI); Mohamed Salah (EGY), Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman (both NGR)
Women
Player of the Year
Barbra Banda (ZAM)
Club Player of the Year
Sanaa Mssoudy (FAR Rabat/MAR)
Goalkeeper of the Year
Chiamaka Nnadozie (NGR)
Young Player of the Year
Doha El Madani (MAR)
Coach of the Year
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe/COD)
National Team of the Year
Nigeria
Club of the Year
TP Mazembe
Best XI
Andile Dlamini (RSA); Michelle Alozie, Osinachi Ohale (both NGR), Lebohang Ramalepe, Karabo Dlamini; Linda Motlhalo (all RSA), Rasheedat Ajibade (NGR), Ghizlane Chebbak (MAR); Barbra Banda (ZAM), Asisat Oshoala (NGR), Tabitha Chawinga (MAW)
