Africa's best: Lookman faces 4-man battle as CAF keeps full shortlist

Ademola Lookman remains in the running for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award as organisers opted not to trim the final shortlist to three nominees, leaving all five contenders in the race ahead of Monday’s ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco.

Lookman, who had a stellar year for both Atalanta and Nigeria, is up against Simon Adingra (Côte d’Ivoire), Serhou Guirassy (Guinea), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), and Ronwen Williams (South Africa) in what has become one of the most closely contested races in recent memory.

The Nigerian forward delivered a historic hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final, leading Atalanta to their first major trophy in 61 years with a 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. He was also instrumental in Nigeria’s run to the final of the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, scoring three goals and earning a spot in the Team of the Tournament.

Unlike in the Men’s Player of the Year category, CAF reduced other nominees to a shortlist of three.

In the Women’s Player of the Year category, Super Falcons Chiamaka Nnadozie is up against Zambia’s Barbara Banda and Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy, while she is up to retain her Goalkeeper of the Year award against South Africa’s Andile Dlamini who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns and Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi who plays for AS FAR.

Also in the male and female teams of the year categories, the Super Eagles are in the final three shortlists against 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winners Ivory Coast, and South Africa, while the Super Falcons were nominated with Morocco and the Banyana Banyana of South Africa.

Edo Queens were also nominated by CAF for the final shortlist of the Women’s club of the year award alongside TP Mazembe of DR Congo and AS FAR of Morocco and Rivers Angels forward, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu was also nominated by CAF for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award alongside FC Masar’s Habiba Sabry and Asfar’s Doha El Madani.

The winners will be announced during the CAF Awards ceremony at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, which kicks off at 7:00pm.

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