|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman has been crowned the Confederation of Africa Fotball Men’s Player of the Year at the 2024 CAF Awards held in Marrakesh, Morocco on Monday.
Lookman, who plays for Italian side Atalanta and the Nigeria’s Super Eagles has now joined compatriot Victor Osimhen (2023), who claimed the award in 2023 and Kano Nwankwo (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997).
His feat also signals a back-to-back feat for Nigeria in the awards after Osimhen won it last year.
At a glittering ceremony attended by all football stakeholders across the continent, Zambia striker Barbra Banda who took the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States by storm and helped Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship, scoring the decisive goal in the final against Washington Spirit was adjudged Women’s Footballer of the Year.
Her hat-trick for Zambia at Paris Olympics 2024 was her third in Olympic Games football, an all-time record in the competition, elevating her to among the greats to have played the game.
Banda became the first player from Africa to be included in the FIFPRO Women’s World 11 in 2024.
Ronwen Williams of South Africa was the only double winner on the night, taking home the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year and Men’s Interclub Player of the Year awards.
His spectacular penalty saves at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 would live long in the memory, including four in the quarter-final shootout win against Cape Verde as he captained South Africa to win the bronze medal.
The 32-year-old also helped his club Mamelodi Sundowns set a joint record low of just 11 goals conceded in 30 games in the South African Premiership as they eased to a seventh domestic league title in succession.
Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie claimed the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row having had another outstanding season for French side Paris FC, where she was named Première Ligue Goalkeeper of the Season for 2023-24.
AS FAR and Morocco international forward Sanaâ Mssoudy won the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year having
Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco was the Men’s Young Player of the Year as the versatile box-to-box midfielder shone for club and country with his dynamic displays.
Doha El Madani of AS FAR and Morocco won the Women’s Young Player of the Year as the 19-year-old secured the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League with six goals in five matches.
The Men’s Coach of the Year went to Emerse Fae after he led Cote d’Ivoire from the brink of elimination to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations title on home soil in one of the great global sports stories of 2024.
Moroccan tactician Lamia Boumehdi was named Women’s Coach of the Year as she led TP Mazembe from the DR Congo to the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League title with a win over AS FAR in the decider.
Cote d’Ivoire’s continental crown saw them named Men’s National Team of the Year, while Nigeria’s Super Falcons were the Women’s National Team of the Year.
Al Ahly’s fourth TotalEnergies CAF Champions League win in five years made them worthy winners of Men’s Club of the Year, while TP Mazembe took home the Women’s Club of the Year.
Goal of the Year was won by Angola’s Mabululu for his audacious finish against Namibia at the continental finals in Cote d’Ivoire. This was the only award voted for by fans.
In line with the commitment of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe at last year’s event, match officials were also honoured at the 2024 CAF Awards, Mutaz Ibrahim of Libya was named Men’s Referee of the Year, while Morocco’s Bouchra Karboubi was Women’s Referee of the Year.
Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue of Cameroon was awarded Men’s Assistant Referee of the Year and Zambia’s Diana Chikotesha the Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year.
The Men’s CAF-FIFPRO Africa Best XI for Men and women were also named and honoured the top performers from the continent in each position.
Source: myghanadaily
