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Ademola Lookman was named the 2024 African Footballer of the Year at the Confederation of African Football Awards in Marrakech on Monday.
Zambia’s Barbra Banda was named African Player of the Year after a successful year with Orlando Pride, where she scored the title-winning goal against Kansas City, ensuring her team won an NWSL championship for the first time.
Former Everton and Fulham striker Lookman secured the men’s award ahead of Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, Brighton and Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra, Guinea player Serhou Guirassy and South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
His award follows an impressive season in which the 27-year-old scored a hat-trick as Atalanta won the Europa League final against unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in May.
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Ademola Lookman talks about putting tough times in the Premier League behind him and his plans to continue his success at Atalanta
His three goals during the Africa Cup of Nations also helped Nigeria reach the finals in Ivory Coast, where they lost to the competition’s hosts.
Lookman is the seventh Nigerian to receive the award, succeeding last year’s winner Victor Osimhen.
The Nigeria international endured a difficult time in his final days in the Premier League. His attempt to score a Panenka penalty in injury time against West Ham in 2020, which was easily intercepted by Lukasz Fabianski, remains infamous as Fulham lost 1-0 and were relegated later that season.
Referencing the low point of his victory speech, Lookman said:
“A little over four years ago I failed in front of everyone. Four years later I am the best player in Africa.”
“To the little children and people who see this: Don’t let your mistakes weigh on you so much that they break your wings. Transform your pain into your strength and fly on.”
AFCON winners Ivory Coast were named men’s national team of the year while Nigeria won the women’s award.
