#CAFAwards2024: Ademola Lookman named Africa’s best player, Barbra Banda wins women’s top award
Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman, has been crowned the African Player of the Year at the 2024 CAF Awards following an incredible performance for both club and country in the year under review.
The 27-year-old forward defeated Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy to emerge the new CAF Player of the Year for 2024.
Lookman has been at the top of his game recently after scoring three goals to help Nigeria reach the 2023 AFCON final in Ivory Coast earlier this year before finishing the season with a stellar display in the UEFA Europa League final.
The ex-Fulham player scored all the three goals in Dublin as Atalanta thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to become the first Italian club to win the Europa League.
Lookman’s performance on that night further powered him into a new level of global football limelight.
After finishing the 2023/24 season with 17 goals and nine assists, Lookman picked it up from there this season and has gone to score 11 goals and assisted five in 19 games so far this season.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Barbra Banda clinched the CAF Women’s African Player of the Year. She beat Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie and Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy to win the honour.
The 24-year-old forward scored 17 goals and made seven assists as her American club side Orlando Pride won the NWSL Championship and NWSL Shield title this year.
She has subsequently ended Asisat Oshoala’s three consecutive reign in the continent.
Nine-team African champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons, emerged the Women’s National Team for the Year over Morocco and South Africa while reigning African champions Ivory Coast won the Men’s National Team of the Year award.
Another win for Nigeria came in the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year category with Super Falcons goalkeeper Nnadozie claiming the award for the second consecutive year.
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