Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has made the top five nominees for 2024 Africa Player Of The Year Award released by the Confederation of African Football (AFCON) on Monday.
However, Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong who made the initial top 10, missed out on the last five. Other players Lookman will contend for the top individual prize in African football are: Simon Adingra (Cote d’Ivoire); Serhou Guirassy (Guinea ); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco); and Ronwen Williams (South Africa).
Lookman had been in imperious form for club and country. He scored 17 goals for Atalanta last last season and helped the club to their first-ever European title with a hat-trick in the final of the 2024 UEFA Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen. He also played a very important role as Nigeria reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. He contributed three goals and an assist and was included in the tournament’s Best XI.
The 27-year-old has been nominated for all international awards, including the 2024 Ballon d’Or in which he was ranked in 14th position. He has also been shortlisted for the 2024 International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) Award and the Globe Soccer Award.
The Nigeria international has been tipped to win the CAF Men’s Best Player Award after an incredible campaign and if it happens that he wins the Prize, it would be the first time a Nigerian is succeeding another, as Victor Osimhen is the reigning King of African football.
Lookman has continued this season where he left off last term. This campaign, he has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 14 appearances this term.
The former RB Leipzig winger missed Nigeria’s final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Rwanda, to whom the three-time African champions lost, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Monday.
