Nigeria Striker Ademola Lookman is among the top five African Player of the Year contenders for the 2024 CAF awards announced Monday.
A Confederation of African Football statement listed Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi, Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra, and Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy as the other contenders.
The other Nigerian on the shortlist, William Troost-Ekong didn’t make the final cut, despite winning the 2023 AFCON MVP.
Lookman scored a hat-trick for Atalanta in a 3-0 UEFA Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen last season and is favoured to win the award.
Victor Osimhen was voted the 2023 Player of the Year after starring for Napoli in the 2023 CAF Awards. He has since been loaned to Galatasaray from Napoli.
Nigeria’s Lookman is the odds-on favorite to win the African Player of the Year in the CAF awards.
Currently, Lookman is on seven goals and four assists in 10 matches for Serie A side, Atalanta.
Voting in the awards will be done by coaches and captains of African national teams to determine the winner.
The awards ceremony where winners will be announced will hold in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh on December 16.
Elsewhere, Falcons star, Rasheedat Ajibade is in the running for the African Women’s Player of the Year award.
Furthermore, goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie is in the running for the Best Goalkeeper category of the CAF awards.
AFP
