Ademola Lookman was named African Player of the Year 2024 on Monday at the Confederation of African Football Awards in Marrakech.
Zambia’s Barbra Banda was named African Player of the Year after a successful year with Orlando Pride, where she scored the game-winning goal against Kansas City to ensure her team could win its first-ever NWSL Championship.
Lookman, a former Everton and Fulham striker, took the men’s award ahead of Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, Brighton and Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra, Guinean Serhou Guirassy and South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
His award comes after an impressive campaign in which the 27-year-old scored a hat-trick as Atalanta won the Europa League final against unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in May.
His three goals during the African Cup of Nations also helped Nigeria reach the final in Ivory Coast, where they were defeated by the competition’s hosts.
Lookman becomes the seventh Nigerian to receive the award, succeeding last year’s winner, Victor Osimhen.
The Nigeria international went through a difficult period during his final days in the Premier League. His attempt to take a Panenka penalty in stoppage time in 2020 against West Ham, which was easily caught by Lukasz Fabianski, remains infamous as Fulham lost 1-0 and were then relegated that season.
Referencing the nadir during his winning speech, Lookman said:
“Just over four years ago, I failed in front of the world. Four years later, I am the best player in Africa.
“To the little children and people watching this, don’t let your failures weigh you down to the point of breaking your wings. Turn your pain into your power and keep flying.”
AFCON winners Ivory Coast were named Men’s National Team of the Year, while Nigeria took the women’s award.
