- Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman is the leading contender for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year Award
- The Nigerian is up against four other nominees who had remarkable outings for club and country
- South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams had multiple nominations among the leading candidates
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is gearing up for the 2024 edition of its yearly award scheduled for Marrakech in Morocco on December 16 2024.
Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman is widely considered the favourite and is expected to pick up Africa’s most coveted individual prize after a great year for club and country.
Source: Getty Images
CAF downsized the nominee’s list from 10 to five in the last two weeks, with the most valuable player of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, William Troost-Ekong, missing out.
Legit.ng compares the stats of the final five nominees, including goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
CAF POTY nominees’ stats
1. Ademola Lookman
The Atalanta forward is the favourite to scoop the award after shining for club and country. He scored a hat trick to help Atalanta win the UEFA Europa League and three goals to help Nigeria finish second at AFCON 2023. As noted by Transfermarkt, in 52 games in all competitions, he scored 20 goals and provided 11 assists. This season, he has nine goals and five assists in 15 games. He finished 14th on the Ballon d’Or ranking.
2. Achraf Hakimi
Hakimi played 44 times for Paris Saint-Germain last season to help them win the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double. He scored five goals, provided seven assists and kept 14 clean sheets. He played at AFCON 2023 and Paris 2024 Olympics for Morocco, scoring three goals, providing two assists and keeping five clean sheets. He won the bronze medal at the Olympics. He has two goals and four assists already this season.
3. Serhou Guirassy
Guirassy was spectacular for VfB Stuttgart last season, scoring 30 goals in 30 games to help them qualify for the UEFA Champions League and finishing ahead of Bayern Munich. He had a disappointing AFCON campaign, going scoreless before Guinea were eliminated in the last eight. This season he has scored 10 goals and four assists for Borussia Dortmund.
4. Simon Adingra
Adingra was named AFCON 2023’s Best Young Player of the Tournament after helping the Elephants win the tournament, assisting both goals in the final. For Brighton last season under Roberto De Zerbi, he scored seven goals and three assists in 40 games. This season under Fabian Hurzeler, he has four goals and one assist.
5. Ronwen Williams
Williams is the only home-based star in the final five. Last season for Mamelodi Sundowns, he kept 30 clean sheets in 46 games, conceding just 19 goals. He has kept eight clean sheets in 12 games this season, conceding five goals. He kept two clean sheets at AFCON 2023 and saved four penalties, earning him the crown of the best goalkeeper. He finished ninth on the Yashine Trophy ranking.
Oliseh praises Ademola Lookman
Legit.ng reported that Sunday Oliseh praised Ademola Lookman as one of the best players in the world in his position ahead of the CAF Men’s Player of the Year Award.
Lookman joined Oliseh and co on the list of Nigerian footballers to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or this year, finishing 14th on the list in his first year at the gala.
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Source: Legit.ng