Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Faé has expressed his belief that Nigeria’s forward Ademola Lookman deserves to win the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award ahead of his compatriot Simon Adingra and other top contenders.
Lookman, a standout performer throughout the year, is among the frontrunners for the prestigious accolade. However, he faces stiff competition from Ivory Coast’s Adingra, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, and Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy—each of whom has delivered remarkable achievements over the past calendar year.
The Super Eagles star played a pivotal role in helping Nigeria reach the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final for the first time in over a decade earlier this year. Additionally, he made history with Atalanta by scoring a hat trick in the UEFA Europa League final, securing the club’s first major trophy while maintaining exceptional form throughout the season.
While Faé admitted his preference for his countryman Adingra to clinch the title, he lauded Lookman for his consistency and exceptional contributions for both club and country.
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“I wish it would be Adingra because he’s my player, but Ademola Lookman deserves it too,” Faé told London-based Nigerian journalist Olawale Ayeni in Marrakesh.
“He played well during the AFCON, he scored goals, and he played well all season long with Atalanta. He scored a hat trick in the Europa League final, so I think he deserves to win the award because he played very well all year long,” Faé added.
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