Nigeria and Atalanta BC attacker Ademola Lookman has been crowned the African Footballer of the Year at the just-ended 2024 CAF Awards ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco.
Lookman, who was a top performer for the Serie A club and Nigerian national team last season, beat off competition from Morocco's Achraf Hakimi, South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy, and Brighton's Ivorian winger Simon Adingra to clinch the prestigious accolade on Monday evening.
The 27-year-old made headlines last season after scoring a hat trick in the Europa League final to earn Atalanta BC their first-ever European silverware and only the second major trophy in their 117-year history.
The former RB Leipzig, Leicester, and Fulham forward also scored three times as Nigeria reached the final of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, where they were edged out by Sebastian Haller's late goal for the Ivory Coast in the final.
Lookman scored 17 goals and contributed 10 assists in 45 games across all competitions for Atalanta in the 2023-24 season and has made a similarly productive start to this campaign, finding the net 11 times in 19 club games as Gian Piero Gasperini's team sits two points clear of Napoli at the summit of Serie A.
In the Women's category, Zambia's Barbra Banda won the women's prize after firing the Orlando Pride to the NWSL Championship, scoring the winner in the final against Washington Spirit, and also helping the Zambian national team to achieve a historic feat last year.
Senegal and AS Monaco wonder-kid Lamine Camara was adjudged the best young player, while Morocco's Doha El Madani won a similar award in the women's category.
Below is the full list of winners of the 2024 CAF Awards
Men's Player of the Year - Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
Women's Player of the Year - Barbra Banda (Zambia)
Goal of the Year - Mabululu (Angola)
Men's Coach of the Year - Emersae Fae (Cote d'Ivoire)
Women's Coach of the Year - Lamia Boumendi (TP Mazembe, Congo)
Men's Goalkeeper of the Year - Ronwen Williams (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Women's Goalkeeper of the Year - Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, PSG)
Women's Interclub Player of the Year - Sanaa Mssoudy (ASFAR, Morocco)
Men's Interclub Player of the Year - Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa)
Men's Club of the Year - Al Ahly (Egypt)
Men's Club of the Year - TP Mazembe
Men's National Team of the Year - Cote d'Ivoire
Women's National Team of the Year - Nigeria
Men's Young Player of the Year - Lamine Camara (Senegal)
Women's Young Player of the Year Award - Doha El Madani (Morocco)
CAF Team of the Year
🇨🇲 André Onana
🇲🇦 Achraf Hakimi
🇸🇳 Kalidou Koulibaly
🇨🇩 Chancel Mbemba
🇲🇦 Sofyan Amrabat
🇨🇮 Franck Kessié
🇲🇱 Yves Bissouma
🇬🇭 Mohammed Kudus
🇪🇬 Mohamed Salah
🇳🇬 Victor Osimhen
🇳🇬 Ademola Lookman
