Ademola Lookman Crowned 2024 CAF Player of the Year

Nigerian football star Ademola Lookman wins the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award, cementing his place as one of Africa’s finest football talents.

In a groundbreaking event, Ademola Lookman has been named the 2024 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his reputation as one of the world’s top players this year.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles forward overcame strong competition from South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, Cote d’Ivoire’s Simon Adingra, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, and Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy to claim the prize.

His victory ensures that the award stays in Nigeria, following teammate Victor Osimhen’s win last year.

AdeBobo!!! Today is your day, enjoy yourself!

The player from Atalanta, Italy, personally accepted the award in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday night and described it as “incredible,” expressing how “extremely proud” he is.

Reflecting on his past challenges as a footballer, the 27-year-old encouraged young people not to let their previous failures shape their future.

“Just a little over four years ago, I faced failure on an international stage. Fast forward to now, and I’ve become the best player in Africa,” Lookman reflected.

I want to tell the young children and youth watching this: don’t let your failures hold you back or break your spirit. Transform your pain into strength, keep fighting, and continue to soar. God bless!

The award acknowledges Lookman’s exceptional achievements with both the Super Eagles and his club team, Atalanta. His remarkable performance was instrumental in Nigeria’s journey to the Africa Cup of Nations final in Ivory Coast this year, as he scored several crucial goals along the way.

In May, Atalanta secured its first European trophy in the club’s 104-year history, largely due to Lookman’s brilliance. The Nigerian player achieved a hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, delivering the prestigious title to his team.

His performance in the Europa League final could be considered one of the finest individual displays ever seen in a European final.

Earlier in October, Lookman was ranked 14th for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award, which is widely regarded as the most prestigious honor in football. He was also the only African player to be nominated for this accolade in 2024.